Mirrors
by Safest time of the Day
Summary: Bella's nightmares are plagued with a begging voice and a unseen evil. When she moves to Forks to live with her father after the death of her mother she swears that there is someone watching her from behind the mirrors. ExB AU Canon Pairings.
1. Loss of My Matriarch

**Hello my fabulous readers, This my new story and I hope that you like it. It struck me this morning and I had to start it. Make sure you tell me what you all think with reviews. And I will unravel this story for you all in no time at all.**

**Enjoy the first chapter.**

**Chapter One: Loss of My Matriarch **

As I walked through the halls of this unnecessarily large house I wondered if I would get lost again. The hallways were long and winding with every turn looking much as the last one did. I found myself always stumbling and tripping, looking for the way out of the mazes that stood before me.

"_Find me." _The voice called over and over through the passageways as I turned another corner to find another set of doors with no door knobs.

"Hello?" I called. I called this over and over trying to find the source of the voice that demanded my attention. The urgency in this voice was getting more desperate the more corners that I turned.

"_Find me, hurry."_ I didn't know why but I needed to find him. It was like his time was coming to a close. He was doomed but I didn't know from what. Again I turned another corner yet this one was different. The hall was just as long as the others but there was only one door. This door was wider than all the others, taller than the standard cut for doors. The knob on the door was one that looked to be made of diamond encrusted silver with one emerald placed in the middle.

I slowly made my way down the hall. I wasn't sure why but I needed to be cautious. Then I heard foot falls behind me. It was loud and deafening as it neared to my position. I feared what was coming, although I didn't know why. But fear was gripping my chest with every step I took towards the door. I didn't know why but I knew that my safety lay with what ever was behind that door. If I could only get there.

"_Find me, hurry. You're in danger!" _The voice called. It sounded like it was in pain. He sounded like he was in agony at what I was going through.

"Help me!" I yelled to him. "Save me." I cried. But I knew for some reason he could do no such thing. I was on my own until I got to that door.

"_Tell me." _He begged.

Tell him what? What is it he wanted to know? I was running down the hall when I tripped on nothing that I could see. I fell to the ground hard feeling the air rush from my lungs with a loud cry. What ever was behind me was coming close. I snapped my eyes shut hoping not to see my death before it came. The foot falls quickened as though they knew that I was easy prey. Just as I felt it's breath on my face I started screaming.

I bolted up in my bed with the strangled cry from my dream. My chest was burning with the depths of the breaths that I was taking in. It took me a moment to remember that I was no longer in danger. It took me a moment to realize that my fears were caused from the dream that I had for the last five years, since I was fourteen.

But this one was different. I wasn't sure how, but somehow I felt like I needed to hurry up and do something. I felt anxious to fulfill some task that I was forgetting about, but I couldn't remember what it was. But the fear was the same. The agony in my angel's voice was real.

About two years ago I had begun calling him my angel. His voice was like velvet that wrapped around you and kept you warm. It was almost like with every word your skin was stroked with the smoothest of caresses that heated and cooled at the same time.

I looked at the clock that blared red numbers at me. 7:30 in the morning. Another day of suffering. I cried myself to sleep last night, maybe that was the reason for the intensity of my fated dream. Today was the day of the funeral. Today was the day that I put my life as I knew it behind me.

Four days ago my mother and her husband were in a fatal car crash. I identified their bodies and made arrangements like the robot that I had become in order to deal with the loss of my best friend. My mother was my only friend.

Yes my mother was eccentric, and aloof at times but she was a light that shined down on this earth. My mother had no fear, even when people told her not to get mixed up with a crazy minor league baseball player. She defied them and married him. My mother was brave and I hoped that one day I could be her. I wished that the crazy things that I assisted her in achieving would make me more like her. But as I looked in the mirror after my shower all I saw was me.

I wasn't winning any beauty contests if you asked me. I was thin, almost sickly so, with long brown hair that hung in messy untamable curls down my back. My eyes were also brown and normal, just as average as the rest of me. I was about five two in height. So I was short and skinny, not even model material. I huffed at the image that looked back at me and started my morning ritual to get started.

After putting mousse in my hair to make it as manageable as possible, I made my way back to my bedroom to get dressed in my best black dress. It wasn't even that much to look at. I bought it at a thrift shop while I was out with my mother one day.

I remembered that day fondly. It was during Renee's consignment phase. She told me that day that one person's junk is another person's treasure. I think she was going through a guru stage too, but I just nodded my head. I remember talking her out of small tacky trinkets that she wanted so badly. I told her that just because it was a treasure to some it didn't have to hurt my eyes in the process. We laughed forever that day.

I straightened my dress and headed out of the house to the car that I had just inherited. It was time to get this over with. My bags were packed and I would be on a plane by night fall to join my father, but first I had to lay my mother and Phil to rest in the mausoleum.

They were cremated yesterday, after the service. I just had to make sure that all was sealed up tight and then I could close the door on this part of my life, taking my mother's strength with me forever.

I traded the sun and warmth of Phoenix Arizona for the rainy cold of Forks Washington, where my father lives. I looked back while boarding the airplane and one stray tear fell from my eye. Just one, that was all that I would allow, I could afford no more.

When I landed at the Seattle airport I took a deep breath and inhaled the crisp air that even in Seattle lacked pollution. The rain was a steady drizzle as I set my bags down on the curb waiting for my father to arrive to pick me up.

Charlie was the Mayor of the small town called Forks. He had been elected and reelected so many times that no one even ran against him any more. His responsibilities to the town were the reason that he didn't help me close up the house in Phoenix. At least it was the reason that he gave me.

Charlie had never forgiven my mother for leaving him all those years ago. He had been unwilling to even meet her half way on her wishes. My father had been too concerned with his political career in the small town that he grew up in. He was scared to leave the comforts of his hometown of small minds to venture out into the world. My mother was so unhappy, but for him it was something that he demanded that she get over. So in the end she did, and while getting over her sadness she left him and the small town in her rear view as she sped off.

He was so scared of leaving Forks that after I turned fourteen and the dreams started, he refused to come to me and visit. I hadn't seen him in four years. He said that he didn't hold it against me. He said that after I got older I would see the beauty of the town and come to love it. But to tell the truth, if my mother hadn't died I would never have stepped another foot in the great state of Washington. I could have gone my whole life without seeing my father.

I didn't hate him for his short sightedness. He was just as small minded as the rest of the town. It was his fault for not trying to think outside the box, but it was not his fault for never being taught how. I loved my father, but to live without him was never going to be a great sacrifice.

A black Cadillac Sedan pulled up in front of me and parked. The windows were tinted so at first I was confused as to why this shiny car would park in front of me. As I examined the car the drivers side door opened and my father stepped out of it.

"Bella, so glad that you arrived okay. Sorry it wasn't under better circumstances that you came back to your home." He said the last with a small hint of sarcasm. So small in fact that if you didn't know him you would have missed it.

"Hello Charlie. I see it's good to be mayor." I gestured to the dick on wheels that he called a car.

"It has got it's perks. And how many times have I told you not to call me by my first name?" He asked in annoyance.

"Well _Charlie_," I emphasized to aggravate him, "I guess as many times as I begged you to come and visit me when I was young." I spat at him.

"You never begged me." He stated.

"Every time I told you it was okay and not to worry about it, I was begging you to do the right thing. So count this one too." I was glaring at him as he put my bags in the trunk of his black car. Okay maybe I do have some pent up aggression towards daddy dearest, but just a little…right?

Charlie finished putting the bags in the car and slammed the trunk closed. He seemed to be struggling with something when he loudly sighed. "Come on Bells, Lets not fight. I'm happy to see you.

I shrugged and got into the back seat of the car. Technically I was eighteen and I didn't have to move in with Charlie But I thought, what the hell, I only had a few more months of high school left so I might as well.

The ride back to Forks was quiet to say the least. I had no interest in talking to Charlie and he had no interest in me. I spent the time immersed in my favorite novel _Withering_ _Heights._ The story of a forbidden love, or just the story line. I was unsure why I loved it so much but the book was getting worn and I needed a new copy.

The sound of gravel shifting caught my attention, and I looked up to the house that haunted my dreams. Of course it wasn't nearly as big as it was in my dreams but it was a mansion to say the least. This house had so many rooms that when I would visit there was my bedroom, the play room, my own personal library, and a room for the full time nanny that Charlie would hire just to make sure I was out of the way. All those rooms just for me and about six rooms to spare not including Charlie's rooms and office.

I don't think that Charlie realized that I knew that the particular nannies that I had depended on who he was fucking, but I hoped I didn't have to endure anymore 'Excuse me, I need to have a private meeting with your nanny' excuses. How dumb did he think that I truly was?

The house was recently painted I could tell. The white pillars were still wet. But other than that everything else remained the same. My father would have one of his 'people' as he called them get my bags, so I made my way up to my room to begin the task of updating it to my current likes.

While walking through the house I was sure not to look at any of the mirrors that I passed. Ever since my father had bought this house they were eerie to me. For one thing they came with the house. In order for my father to purchase it he had to sign a clause saying that he would never remove them from the places that they stood or hung. The second reason for the feeling was… well…I always felt like someone was looking at me from the other side.

At first I thought that I had an over active imagination. I actually told myself that. But as time went on I could swear that I saw a boy looking at me but just out of the corner of my eye. I could never get a fix on him.

I remembered one time I saw him watching me. I searched the whole house looking for him, but never found him. At that point I thought I was losing my mind. That's when the dreams started and that's when I stopped coming to Forks.

Now I had to be here, so as a rule I decided on minimal mirror usage. I'd never been a vain person so it really wasn't an issue, but damn those mirrors.

My bedroom looked just as I had left it the last time that I was there. My copy of the book _Ain't Nothing Fair In the Fifth Grade_ still sat in the chair by the window. At the time that was my favorite novel and so I read it over and over just because I semi related to the characters.

My attempts at being an artist covered the walls, with stick figures being as far as I got. My mother had called while I was here one time and told me that her new passion was art, so I decided to join her. It was a short phase for the both of us.

My bedding was still the _New Kids on the Block _set that I had begged my father for. At the time I was going to marry Jordan Knight if I ever got pretty enough. But just like their music that dream faded out also. I would have to go to Port Angeles to buy some new bedding as soon as possible.

That's when a thought occurred to me. How was I suppose to get around? There was no way I was letting my father drive me around this Podunk town. I was an adult and maybe he had an extra car that I could use till the sale of the house and car back home. I made a mental note to take to him about it later.

Right now I just wanted to get out of my death dress and burn it. I walked over to the control panel by the door with in my room. I pressed the intercom button that said Kitchen and waited for the beep.

"Yes Miss Isabella?" A voice called up.

"Alma, how many time do I have to tell you to just call me Bella?" I giggled as I said it. This was Alma's way of making sure that my dad wasn't in the room. He insisted that I be called Isabella on grounds of firing if disobeyed. If I just gave her a straight order then my father was with me, and if she insisted on calling me Isabella then my father was with her.

I heard a laugh come over the speaker. "I missed you child. What can I do for you?" She asked.

My eyes welled up with tears. I hadn't realized how much I missed her too. I had many great conversations with that woman, and she was my mom away from my mom. I loved her dearly. "Can you please have Steven come up and start a fire in my room. It's a bit drafty, I would like to take a long bath. It's been a long day." I replied.

"Of course Bella dear. I'm so sorry about your mother. I always liked her." She said.

"Thank you Alma, she spoke of you fondly also. When Steven comes up tell him to come on in, I'll be in the bathroom." I said turning off the intercom.

I grabbed the hem of my dress and removed it from over my head, grabbed my robe and slipped it on. I would never wear that dress again if I had a choice. I padded through the room to the connecting bathroom and turned on the light. Carful not to look into the mirror I started the water and judged the temperature to be as hot as I could stand it. I waited for what seemed like ever for the water to fill the huge tub and slipped into the water leaving my undergarments and robe on the vanity.

"Bella dear, I've lit the fire in here. Is there anything else your heart desires?" It was Steven, Alma's husband. I loved him also. They both had no kids of their own, but since my father was away a lot in town and my nannies were floozies, I spent a lot of time with them. Whenever he did something for me he wanted to know if there was anything my heart desired, he was sweet that way.

"No thank you Steven. Breakfast at the usual time?" I asked through the door. Breakfast was at seven.

"Yes my dear. We will catch up then." I heard the door open and close to my bedroom. And I was again alone.

I bathed quickly and laid the face rag across my eyes to hide from the reflective surface that was above the tub. In all truth I had never seen the boy in the bathrooms of the house. It was like he was giving me my space or a space to hide if need be. But just in case, I covered my eyes and lounged in the tub relaxing my muscles from the last four days.

I had no idea how long I was in the water, but I must have dozed off. I was really not thinking about anything letting my mind go blissfully numb, when I heard it. "_Find Me."_

I leapt out of the tub clutching my towel to my wet body searching the bathroom for an intruder. The voice had been so clear and right next to my ear but there was no one to be found. My heart was racing with the fear that clutched it. And I sat on the closed toilet to calm it.

After I was sure I was going to live, I quickly exited to my room and dressed for bed. Before I gave my night over to the dreams, I threw the black dress into the fire place and let one last tear loose for the loss of my mother.


	2. New Strange Friends

**I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Okay all I hoped that you liked the first chapter of this story. This is my first fic told from Bella's POV, but I like this Bella better then the Whinny one that is clumsy and double guesses herself. I always thought that Bella had move power then she was willing to weild and so in this story I think I want to show her a little stronger than most fan Fictions. Who hates Charlie's character right now? I know I do. I always felt that Bella should have rebelled more against Charlie, so in this story I plan to let him be a dad but she won't let him have as much pull as he would like.**

**So here's chapter 2.**

**Chapter Two: New Strange Friends**

"_Tell Me." _I jumped straight up in bed at the last words of my dream, with a heaving chest and racing heart. My dream causing a off tone strangled cry to slowly die on my lips. My hair was plastered on my forehead from sweat, and yet again I found myself looking around the room looking for some un known enemy the was bent on my destruction. And once again I found myself to be alone.

It was six o'clock in the morning. Since when did my dreams decide to be my internal alarm clock? I sighed and untangled myself from my legs from my sheets and lowered my feet to the floor. I guess getting ready for the day was the best thing I could do now, there was no way I was going to get any kind of rest before I actually did have to get up.

I made my way to the bathroom and noticed the heap of straw that I called hair piled on my head. I examined myself closely in the mirror and sighed again loudly. Nope no fair godmother had arrived while I was sleeping handing out gorgeous features. I guess I was doomed to be me today.

It was Monday and the first day at the all mighty Forks High School. I guess I was excited to a point. I mean I only had to attend for half the day because of how much summer school I endured to get ahead of the game.. My birthday being where it was I had to start school late and so I wanted to graduate with everyone my own age instead of with people that were younger then my.

At first it was really an superficial reason really, but I ended up getting high grades so in the end colleges were sending me offers during my junior year with full rides. I couldn't get one man to fight for me let alone two, but Ivy League colleges were busting down my door for my brain. My body was never an issue. Well at least somebody wanted me for some part. Doomed to be a highly intelligent virgin. There are worst things… I just can't think of them right now.

My mind kept flashing to the dream voice. The beautiful voice that called to me in my dreams to find him, and my eternal searching that came up empty. Long mazes of hallways with only one end in sight and never being able to get to that particular end. This was my existence never to find the comfort that the voice offered.

I straightened my clothes for the last time before stepping into the hallway. It was five till seven and I had a morning engagement. I made my way to the stair case and slowly walked down them, careful not to look in the huge mirror that was perched there. Seeing things would not start my day off in the right direction that was for sure.

I walked through the expansive living room, through the formal dining room and came to the swinging door to the kitchen. I remembered one time getting hit in the face with that door. My nose was broken and my eyes were black and blue for weeks after. Steven was so sorry for it. I lied to my father telling him that I tripped to save the family that I adopted. Charlie was never the wiser.

I pushed the door carefully to make sure that there wasn't anybody on the other side that could meet the same fate as I had and was relived that there was no one was standing in the way. As I crossed the threshold I stopped to take in the two people that I had wanted to see most in the world.

Alma and Steven stood leaning against the island in the middle of the huge kitchen each with a cup of coffee in hand. Alma had a plump round face with stark white hair and eyes that could melt the coldest heart. The small smile that she wore on her face at all times was contagious but she also had an air of no nonsense about her. I had missed her.

Steven her husband for almost thirty years was skinny and balding. His eyes had a wicked glint in them. You could just tell that he had been a prankster in his younger years. His hands were always warm I remembered and he always carried hard candy in his pockets. He also had a very warm smile that made hearts melt.

They had worked for my father since I was about four at a different house. I truly had known then all my life. I had loved them as the grandparents that I never had and they had loved me like the child they were unable to have. As far as I knew they had been in forks for about twenty years, they were some of the last people to bee here for that far back.

I know that is hard to believe but people did leave the Forks for one reason or another, but the saying was still true born in Forks die in Forks. They always came back to give birth and die.

I looked from one face to another taking in all the memories that came rushing back to me. These two people made my stay in Forks bearable, They did their best to make me happy. With a well of tears that burst form my eyes I launched myself across the room and through my arms around both of their necks pulling them to me in a very heart felt embrace. They in turn hugged me back, shh shing me and comforting me as they always did.

I'm not sure how long we stood there holding each other but it seemed like it ended too soon. I was released by them both and the stood me in front of them examining me in a way that parents do.

"Bella dear you have turned out to be a very beautiful woman." Alma started, making my cheeks turn red with the embarrassment of her words.

"Aye, that she is Alma. I told you. Didn't I tell you she was going to be a heart breaker?" Steven asked. I hated being the center of attention and obviously my body hated it too because my stomach growled loudly.

"Bella what is it that your heart desires." Steven asked with a grin.

I smiled back, "Well I don't know about my heart but my stomach could go for some eggs, and a cup of hot java."

We fell into a easy conversation after that. It was always easy to talked to them. We talked about school, my mother's passing, possible colleges, career choices I had thought of and then the topic of boys. Needless to say that portion of the conversation was short lived because I had never had a boyfriend. I think that my blush closed the topic as well because Alma let me eat in silence after that. Steven excused himself for his morning work and so I was left with my thought.

I was finished with my meal and putting my plate in the dishwasher when Alma walked back into the kitchen. "your father has a message for you Bella."

With that line she had my attention. Charlie usually did things this way. He would send Alma to talk to me instead of speaking to me face to face. Truthfully it was easier this way, I really didn't want to talk to him anymore then he wanted to talk to me. "Hmm?" I responded to her.

"Well he has purchased a car for you and he wanted me to give you the keys." She said carefully. Alma knew how much I liked to do things for myself, and Charlie buying me a car was not doing for me. "Just think of it as your monthly child support, okay Bella dear? He'll pay for it but just think of it as money he owes you."

Alma was right my father was seven years in the rear for child support so I could do it like this. He owed me and my mother. I took the keys from Alma and kissed her before leaving the room. I didn't trust myself to say anything that didn't put my father in a bad light. Alma didn't need to hear the things that I had to say.

I grabbed my new book bag off one of the pegs in the front entryway and looked at myself in the mirror. It was time to go to the hell that was high school. As I was going to turn away I could have sworn I saw a flash of dark bronze hair behind me. I spun around and saw no one.

I mentally scolded myself for breaking my rule about mirrors in the general house and left through the front door, making my way to the old cottage that had been converted into a garage before Charlie bought the house.

I hit the garage door opener and the huge door rolled up to reveal a concave that was the garage floor. This space could house about six and a half cars easy right now there were three. Charlie's Cadie, and fishing truck that he and Billy Black used on the weekends. But right in the middle of them both was a silver Volvo with a pink bow attached to it.

I sighed for the third time today and walk to it. It wasn't that I didn't like it it was just that I wasn't used to pretty cars. The car that I drove back home was a 1991 Honda Accord, that had a rebuilt engine and Renee had dinged the hell out of. Oh well, Charlie was well off so I might as well look like I belonged some what.

For a while I didn't care to even look at the car so I studied the spaces around it instead. The garage looked like a professional lived here. There were benches were tools would go and even a hydraulic lift to raise cars. The people who owned this house must have been fanatics about their cars.

I was pulled out of my reverie by something that was hanging on the wall. It was another mirror. Okay this was getting ridiculous. Not only were the serious about their cars but there looks too. I thought about the house. I don't think there was one room without a mirror in it.

I shook my head. It was time for me to go I needed to be some what early for my first day. I opened the driver's side door and slid in. The interior of the car was spotless, but you could tell it was a used car. It didn't have the new car smell that I had heard about. Instead I smelled the faint smell of honey and … vanilla. There was a fainter undertone but I couldn't quite place it. This made me feel a little bit better, at least it wasn't a new car. I could deal with this car as long as I wasn't the first owner.

I put the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. As I backed out of the garage and turned to push the button to close the door I could have sworn that there was someone in the mirror and he was smiling at me. But as soon as I registered it they were gone.

Getting my schedule from Mrs. Cope was an ordeal. She was nosey and her voice was one that would give you a headache right off no matter who you were. She was fishing for information about my mother, my father and Phil. There was no way I was going to be forth coming in the least, so I no so politely told her so.

After mumbling something that sounded like 'your father would never act that way' she handed me my routine and had me sit down to wait for the person that would show me my classes and general information.

I sat brooding over Mrs. Cope's comment; I mean no one really knew my father. He was faker than Pamela Anderson's tits, but of course she wouldn't know that. I was deep in thoughts of bring my father to the school and embarrassing her royaly when the door to the office opened and my mind went blank.

A small girl walked into the room. Now when I say walked I mean glided and danced into the room. She was about four foot two inches in height, but she held a presence. She had a air about her that commanded attention. I had no doubt that in a packed room she would have all ears if she had something to say. She had short dark hair that was spiked in every direction but looked fabulous on her. Her face was fairy like almost pixie like beautiful and alluring even for a straight female like myself. She danced right in front od me and stopped. I was so captured by her looks that I didn't notice that she was speaking to me at first.

"Isabella Swan?" The girl asked for who knows how many times.

"Bella… I like to be called Bella. I'm sorry you were saying?" I told her after clearing my thoughts.

"I said my name is Alice Cullen I'm going to be your tour guide today." She giggled at her own joke and it was infectious. I could tell that I was going to like Alice.

"Well let's get on with the show then." I laughed. And we were off.

"Alice was a bubble. When I say that she was a bubble I met personality wise. The girl talked and walked and did everything that I every saw her do at a million miles an hour. She bounced when she sat. She talked with her hands, and her passion was shopping. It didn't matter what she was shopping for she just loved to buy things.

Even though I didn't share that particular passion she kind of reminded me of Renee. Alice was endearing. She had a personality the made you want to love her. The day flew by an I didn't even notice the awkward glances that were surly passing me by in the halls.

At one point in the halls after my government class Alice and I we talking about nothing of importance (well Alice was animated about what ever it was) when I noticed her eyes for the first time. The were a golden brown almost topaz color. What a weird color I thought to myself but I didn't want to be rude so I let it go. Alice just continued about what ever topic it was I just enjoyed the aura around her.

By lunch time I was done with my classes for the day. I was walking out to my car when I saw four people standing next to it. I quickly picked out Alice who was dwarfed by the other three (anyone really).

"Hey what's up Alice." I called curious as to why these people were near my car.

"Hey Bella. I wanted to introduce you to my brothers and sister." She gestured to the others.

The first one that she introduced me to was her sister Rosalie. Rose was a tall statuesque blonde that looked like she belonged on the cover of a Vogue mag then in a high school parking lot. She seemed aloof but pleasant when she said hi to me.

The next was Emmett. This man had dark curls and dimples. Hid smile was infectious. The thing about Emmett was he was big, okay under statement of the year, he was huge. His arms were as big as my waist and it would take five of me to make the with of his chest. He was massive. But he was sweet, joking and loud with his booming laughter. I watched as he snaked his arm around Rosalie's waist in obvious affection. Strange, but I let it go, I was not going to judge them.

Alice watched my reaction in anticipation, but after seeing something she liked she went on. "And this is Jasper." She said while melting into a tall blonde that stood behind her. He wrapped his arms around her in a show of affection that was just a little too friendly for siblings. "Darlin'" He nodded to me. He had a subtle Texas draw, as he leaned in and rested his chin on the top of Alice's head.

Okay I guess the look on my face was enough so that I didn't have to ask the question because Alice went right into explanations. "We are all adopted." She stated. "Jasper and Rose are twins. Emmett and I are brother and sister. And then there's Edward…" She slid to a stop right there. Rosalie was giving her a look that could scare the ugly off of someone.

I decided to ignore Rosalie's obvious distain for the subject and ask, "Whose Edward?"

Alice looked at me and looked at Rosalie and looked at the ground. "He's my other brother. My… twin." She said in almost a whisper. "This was his car." She said gesturing to the my car.

"Was? Where is he?" I asked hoping not to step on any feeling with my curiosity.

"He's…. Lost." Rosalie said looking sad. As I looked around the group they all looked sad.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" What could I say. I had intruded into something that was none of my business.

"It's okay." Alice perked right up. "Hey maybe we could hang out some time. I mean maybe this weekend?" She asked.

I knew that Charlie would be down at the local reservation called La Push with Billy Black all weekend. Alma and Steven would have the weekends off and the thought of being in that house by myself creped me out. Any company would be welcomed.

"Yeah you know what. I live in this big house out side of town. I'm going to be there by myself all weekend. Do you want to come and keep me company?" I hedged.

"Great can Rose come too?" I was taken back at the question. Rosalie didn't look like the hang out type, but I really didn't know her so I decided to not jump to any conclusions about her.

"The more the merrier." I tried to sound chipper but it ended up flat.

"Great it's a plan." Alice said as they all moved away from me and the lost brother's car.

I jumped into the car and started it. Then it struck me. The underline smell that I couldn't put a finger on it was the smell of… well spring, and meadows.

And another thing struck me, the Cullen's all had the same color eyes. Now hoe is that possible? I mean they looked nothing alike but there was some thing that was the same about all of them. I mused over this as I pulled up to the house.

As I looked at the beautiful yet spooky house I noticed something else that I had never noticed before. The house had a third story. I had been through that house many times and I knew for a fact that there was no way to get to the extra story. So how had I missed it? I shrugged it off and parked my car.

A lot had happened to day already and I rally didn't want to go into the house to play another round of hide and seek with the mirrors. I decided that maybe a trip around the town to see if anything had change was in order. I knew better but at this point anything was better then being here.


	3. Tension

**I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**So, so far the ones that have read this story love it. I guess I'm doing something right. So I start the contest. The person that gives me the twentieth review gets a loner from the Cuddly Cullen Zoo. So R&R you might be the lucky winner.**

**Thanks to all of you that have signed up for alerts, I'm glad that you are keeping track.**

**So here it is Chapter 3**

**Chapter Three: Tension **

The conservative town of Forks had not changed that much since the last time that I had been here. All the shops were the same, the houses the same, it was almost like the same air floated in a bubble the surrounded this place. The rain drizzled to a stop so I decided to head to town square and walk in the park by the pond.

I watched as the smaller kids played together while their mothers gossiped about unknown topics. Joggers ran past me, enjoying the impromptu stop in the rain, during their lunch breaks. The people even looked the same I noticed. Not that they were the same people, but that they were the same type of people.

A small town had a type of people. I called it the bored sleepy town type. The kind of people who were nice to you in order to get a hold of your deepest darkest secrets, then at a drop of a hat your secret was all over town. It was a way to keep people laughing at you. Mostly they didn't do it for malicious reasons but rather to make their own boring lives seem better. The spreading of gossip made them feel like they had a sliver of peace, it made their lives better.

I was standing by the pond thinking about these small town dynamics when I felt like someone was watching me. I turn to see none other then Charlie standing there watching me.

"Good afternoon Charlie." I said. I had forgotten that his office was across the street from the pond, and of course it was lunch time.

"Bells, what had you thinking so hard?" He asked.

"I was just thinking about your town." I said. I hoped he didn't ask me what I thought exactly, I wasn't looking for a fight.

I think that Charlie knew not to ask, so he asked a different question, "So how was school?"

"It was fine, it was school. I met the Cullen kids today." Okay he came out here and I didn't have to beg him. I might as well be civil.

"Yep, they're good kids. Their father is the head surgeon at the hospital." He stated.

"They, Alice and Rosalie, are going to spend the weekend with me." I told him, purposely not asking for permission. It was his house so telling him who would be there was polite.

"Great, did you know that the house used to be in their family for years?"

That got my attention, "Really why did they sell it?" I asked. Charlie was being forthcoming with information so I wasn't going to stop this line of conversation.

"Well… they moved to Forks a couple of years ago after the disappearance of their youngest son. It was some kind of camping accident. He wasn't ever found." Charlie had started walking and so I was right beside him. To tell the truth this was kind of nice talking to my father.

"Edward." I said more to myself then to him. Then something occurred to me. "Hey Charlie did you know there was a third story on the house?" I hoped that he had more information about it.

Charlie stopped and turned to me, a confused look on his face. I guess he didn't know after all. "No how do you know? I didn't even think it had and attic."

"Well…" I wasn't sure how to explain it to him. "The windows at the top of the house they lead somewhere." I stated.

Charlie looked a little chagrined; I guess he had never really noticed. I wondered why that was. "I mean… I could be wrong." I stammered, trying to ease his mind.

He looked thoughtful for a minute. I hoped that I hadn't embarrassed him to make him close this line of conversation off. Then I saw an idea pass his features. "You know Bells, you have a lot of time on your hands only going to school half a day. Maybe this could be a project for you." He started walking again, so I walked with him trying to understand what he meant about project.

When he didn't continue I asked. "What do you mean Charlie?" I thought I had an idea, but I didn't want to be presumptive.

"Well, the town does have a hall of records. There are floor plans for every house in Forks. Plus there is a history of old families there too. Maybe it could be fun for you to research your friend's lineage. As I understand it their relatives have lived in Forks for over a hundred years." His mind trailed off and he looked like something else was on his mind.

We talked about my car, which I thanked him for. And we talked about dinner, and about twenty minutes later my father bid me good-bye telling me he would see me at dinner.

That was the first civil conversation that I had with Charlie in years. He and I were a lot alike. He was strong minded as I was, but it seemed for a long time I had my mother's heart, and Charlie had a lack of one. I appreciated the fact that he came to me. He didn't have to. Maybe he and I had a chance after all.

The rain started coming down again so I made my way back to my car. It was getting late in the afternoon and I wanted to see if I could help Alma with dinner. Maybe we could do the whole _Big Chill_ thing in the kitchen. Although I wasn't big on dancing, I loved music, and let's face it, music helps with any task.

I pulled into the garage and purposely avoided looking into the mirror that hung there. As I crossed to the outer door I noticed another car in the garage. It was a sleek midnight blue Mercedes. I looked at it with interest. The windows were custom tinted almost black. I could barely see into the interior. I wondered whose car it was.

I closed the big door and made my way to the house. As I opened and closed the front door and hung up my raincoat I felt the house around me. The air felt heavy with something. I wasn't sure what it was but it was like I could physically touch it, hold it in my hands. I felt saddened, like something was making me want to cry and I wasn't sure why.

I made my way to the kitchen hoping to see Alma and ask her if she would like me to help with dinner. But the feeling followed me through the house. When I entered the dining room it was almost over powering. I felt dizzy and nauseous. I felt a cold sweat break out across my brow and my breathing was shallow, like something was crushing the life out of me. The room started spinning. What was happening? Right before I lost all grasps on consciousness I faintly remember seeing the mirror in the room and a figure that looked sad.

"_Find Me" The voice said with more urgency then normal._

"_Where are you?" I asked looking around but seeing nothing but darkness._

"_Close. Be careful, don't trust them." He begged. He sounded so far away. Farther away with every word. I knew I was going to wake soon. But this dream was different, There was no evil wherever I was, no danger, I was safe right now._

"_Wait, who are you talking about?" I asked trying to keep him close, trying to hold on to something that was not tangible._

"_I'm so sorry." He whispered, it was hard to make out what he said. The last thing that I thought I heard from him was "Tell me." _

I woke up in my room on the bed. The first thing that I noticed was that it was dark outside. I moved to try and turn over and the pain in my head was excruciating. A new wave of dizziness and nausea came over me. I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up all the bile that had been produced by my stomach. I was vaguely aware that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and there was nothing worse for my headache than the dry heaves that follow the fist wave of puking. I felt like shit and there was nothing to make it better.

I slowly stood up and made my way to the sink. I brushed my teeth and washed the sweat off my face. I looked up into the mirror and examined my face. My skin was pastier than normal and I had a large goose egg that had formed on my forehead while I was knocked out. I guess that explains the headache and nausea.

I walked out of my bathroom and looked at the clock, it was nearly eight o'clock. I had been out for almost four hours. I wonder how that was possible. How had I passed out in the first place?

As I was thinking about it my door opened and my father walked in. "Bella?" He was walking slowly as not to startle me, but it was too late. I tried to remember the last time Charlie had ever been in my room and the answer was never. For him this was my personal space and he tried not to invade it.

"I'm fine Charlie." I said running my hand through my hair. Even to me my voice sounded weak, and tired.

"Well you gave us a scare. I called Dr. Cullen and he checked you out while you where unconscious. He said that you might want to take it easy for a few days." He said. I looked at Charlie, I mean really looked at him. He looked concerned, scared even. I knew that asking if he was okay was out of the question. He would never tell me, he wasn't the over emotional type.

"Did he say what was wrong with me?" I asked trying to speed this conversation up. I knew he didn't want to be here.

"Well he has a guess. He said that if you hadn't eaten all day it could be a drop in your blood sugar."

That did explain it, Hadn't I just thought to myself that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. That must be it, but it didn't explain the feeling that I had. It was that thought that brought me back to something that I wanted to ask him. "Whose car was that in the garage this afternoon?" I asked

"Um… well I was going to wait until you felt better but since you asked, it's Tanya's." He said looking embarrassed.

"Who's Tanya?" I asked. I had never seen Charlie look embarrassed, let alone twice in one day.

"She's… my…girlfriend." He said running his hand through his own hair looking at anything but me. "I wanted to introduce you to her tonight, but then this happened and well…" He gestured his hand at me. "You have to be more careful Bells."

My jaw dropped. I had known that Charlie was a dating man but it was always kept on the down low. This woman must be really special for him to want to introduce us. "Oh." That was all that I could get out.

"You'll really like her Bella. I've been seeing her for about a year and a half now."

A year and a half? How was it that I was just hearing about this woman? "Well, I'll let you get some rest. If you get hungry Alma left you a plate in the fridge." He said and left.

Charlie had a steady girlfriend. He wanted it out in the world, no hiding with fake meetings and hidden agendas. He liked this woman. I dare say he had love for her. Just the willingness to put himself under town scrutiny was a huge statement for Charlie. Being the major player in the public eye as he was, Charlie was taking a huge political risk. More risk then I had ever seen him take in the past.

Analyzing my father came to an end when my stomach growled loudly. I decided to go to the kitchen and see what Alma left me to eat. I opened the door to my room and listened to the huge house. It was quiet as always, but darker than I ever remember it being. I knew the way through the house and I wasn't scared… it was just very dark.

I carefully made my way down the stairs and through the two rooms to the swinging door to the kitchen. Before going in I turned and examined the dark dining room. The feeling that I had earlier was gone but, the lack of feeling was there in its place. I shrugged and went into the kitchen.

After eating the big meal that Alma had made for me I felt better, a little tired but better nonetheless. I rinsed my plate and placed it in the sink since the dishwasher was running and turned out the lights to make my way up to bed.

As I passed through the living room I noticed a light coming from the downstairs hallway. In all the darkness it was like a bright beacon on a dark sea. The only room that was down in that particular part of the house was my father's study. I could have sworn I heard him snoring when I past his room on the way down the stairs, so who could be in his study at this time of night?

I softly padded down the hall, not sure why but being as quiet as I could. When I got to the door I thought I heard quiet talking of a woman on the other side. "That was very naughty what you did today to that girl my sweet." I thought I heard. That was weird so I listened harder.

"Now, Now don't pout. You know the rules. No one can see you but me. No one knows where you are and it has been that way for fifty years, my pet. I will keep it that way until you realize the truth." The voice said. She sounded sinister and condescending.

"Oh how I love you, love me back and you will be free." She said.

It was a creepy one sided conversation. I could only guess that was Tanya on the other side of the door. Maybe she was an actress. Maybe she was running lines or whatever actresses do. I decided I was too tired to meet this person tonight. It had been a long day and I had zero tolerance for anymore strangeness.

I quietly went back to my room. I took a quick shower and made my way to my bed. As I drifted off to sleep I swear I hear someone whisper in my ear, "_Save me and it will all be better."_


	4. Research

**I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**First things first. I want to thank Bab1067 for the lemon in this chapter. You rock. I also want to thank my wonderful very understanding and patient Beta NanMcCullen for all of her input on this chapter, you know you're the Masta Beta right?**

**Okay lovelies there are some things that I have to clear up. In the last chapter I mentioned that Edward has been trapped in the mirrors for fifty years, but the chapter before I gave Bella his Volvo, I just wanted you all to know that all the cars that the Cullens own in this story are Classics. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. No, it was an over sight on my part, and as I know many of you all write your own fics you understand that slip ups happen. Sorry, but now I have to leave it the way it is. But kudos to the people who caught it, it means that you're paying attention.**

**So with that said, here is chapter 4.**

**Chapter Four: Research **

"_Find me" The voice said again._

_I had been walking the hallways for hours it seemed like. Over and over he called for me to find him. The need in the voice was strong, stronger then I had ever heard before. The voice seemed driven by shear will power alone, pushing me to keep walking, to keep pressing forward to my goal._

_But I was scared of the destination. Every time I got there the danger would come. The breath of death beating down on me, but I pushed on. Somehow knowing that if I did find the voice he would protect me, shelter me from what ever hunted me. _

"_Tell me." He said. "Know me." This was new. He had said the' tell me' part but never the 'know me' part. How was I supposed to know him? He was a disembodied voice, a figment of a dream. My imagination was running away with me. _

_I know it sounded stupid that it was my dream of the perfect voice and not be able to give him a perfect body to go with it. But I just hadn't gotten that far yet. I guess the perfect body was beyond my mental capacity._

_I turned another corner and I was at the faced the last long hallway. The door with the silver doorknob stood before me. It still awed me to see it. The end of the road. Somehow I knew that the answers to my questions lay beyond that door. I just had to get to it._

_A crashing noise came from behind me. I looked and saw nothing, but I could feel something was coming. A feeling of dread came over me, like a heavy winter coat. _

"_Hurry." The voice called._

_I turned and started running to the door. The crashing was getting louder. My legs were not cooperating with me. Many times I stumbled, and fell, but I pushed myself up as quickly as I could, determined to get to my perfect voice. _

_The crashing was right behind me, but I refused to look behind me. If I looked then it would all be over. If I looked I couldn't get to the voice that strengthened me to get here in the fist place._

_I reach the door and grabbed the knob and shook it. "It's locked!" I cried to the voice. "Help me open it. Where's the key?" I demanded._

"_Find me, and you will have it." He said. His voice was getting so far away again. It was weakening. "Tell me." And he was gone._

_I leaned against the door and fell to me knees scared to see the monster that came to harm me. I felt the movement and…_

I sat up screaming.

I clamped my hand over my mouth to muffle the cry that pushed its way up my throat, and threatened to shatter the window. This was getting out of hand. The dreams every night, avoiding mirrors all day, I felt that my mind would break into a million pieces if I didn't do something soon. I just didn't know what to do.

It was still dark outside, so I pushed myself up on the bed and pulled my knees to my chest wrapping my arms around my legs. I let a shaky breath out of my lungs and lowered my chin so that it rested on my knees.

Should I tell someone? What would they say about my psychosis? I really wasn't scared to get made fun of. I mean if they didn't understand then they didn't understand. If I told anyone it would be for my benefit only, not for anyone else. Maybe I would tell Alice and Rose when they came on Saturday.

It had been two days since that night in the hallway outside the study. The next morning I woke to find my father's girlfriend gone and orders from Dr. Cullen to stay home for the rest of the week. Apparently the good doctor thought that a combination of my mother's death and bad eating habits was to blame for my swan dive into the dining room table, so everyday he came and looked me over telling me rest was the best option.

Charlie didn't want me to meet Tanya until I was well. I could tell that maybe the prospect of all that had happened to me in the last month was really worrying him. Charlie didn't want to overload me with new faces and experiences to soon. For him a potentially new mother figure was not in the best interest for me, and I was grateful.

Not that I wouldn't give Tanya a fair chance, I mean I give everyone a fair chance, but I really couldn't imagine my father all doe eyed over some women. Just thinking about it creeped me out. He deserved to be happy, but I would prefer to be eased into it myself.

Alice came over every afternoon to bring me my school work and keep me company. She was always glad to see me, it was refreshing. She was so genuine with her feelings. If she didn't like something she said so, but mostly life was wonderful to her.

I remember the first day that she came over. She walked in my room without knocking and set my book down on my desk next to my computer, then proceeded to my closet.

"Bella, it's time to update your closet." She said while systematically throwing things out.

"Hello to you too, Alice," I said smiling broadly. I was happy to see her. I couldn't remember a time when I had someone my own age in my room with me and it was a nice change.

"Bella, are you sure you're going to be up to us hanging out this weekend?" she asked while looking at two shirts with disgust.

"Yes Alice, I'm looking forward to it." That was the truth. I didn't know why but Alice was a breath of fresh air. I couldn't wait for the next time that I saw her and whenever I did I never stopped smiling. I could honestly say that she was quickly becoming my best friend.

We talked for hours about everything. Talking to Alice, I was able to speak for the first time about my mother without the pain and anguish that followed in its wake. She sat and laughed with me when I talked about all the crazy hobbies that my mother would get me into and she held me when I cried when I told her about the day that my mother died. It all felt so natural, like we had known each other for years.

Now, I sat in the dark still shaking from the dream in which I reached my goal but didn't have the tool in order to get the door open. A strangled sob rose up my throat. I felt like I was going insane. I felt like my mind was finally giving up from all of the pain that I held deep inside me.

The tears fell freely; I had no wish to stop them. Why was this happening? My body shook with the torrent of tears that fell and the sobs that I let come from my chest. I was scared. I was scared and I hated to have no control over my fear.

When I was a kid if I was scared of something I faced it head on. I took control over the fear and situation causing it and fought it.

This was different. How do you fight something that your mind made up? How do you fight something that only attacks when you conscience mind was asleep? There was no control to be had there. I refused to go on medication, dreams were your minds way of working things out. So what issues did I have that needed to be worked out over five years?

I didn't know how long I sat there overcome with tears but when I looked up the sun was shining and I heard my father pull down the driveway. I looked at the clock and it was after eight o'clock in the morning. Then it hit me the sun was out. It shined through my window and my pain slipped away.

The intercom in my room beeped. I threw the covers on my bed back and walked over to it. The call was coming from the kitchen. I pressed the kitchen button, "Good morning Alma." I said trying to sound happy.

"Good morning Bella dear. Listen. Dr. Cullen just called and said that he was taking his kids out to Port Angeles today so he won't be here to check you." She said.

"That's okay; I'm going into Forks today anyway." I don't know when I had made up my mind to go to town but it sounded right. So that was what I was gong to do.

"Okay dear. Why don't you come have some breakfast and I'll pack you a lunch to take with you." She sounded happy that I was getting out of the house. Hell I was happy to be getting out of the house.

"Yeah, give me thirty minutes to get ready." I told her breaking the connection. Then I went into my bathroom to take a shower. I was really dreading picking out clothes because Alice had done a number on my closet and my options were limited.

Forks town square was a buzz with people enjoying the sunlight. It was nice to see people laughing and running. Children were playing on the many jungle gyms that littered the park. Lovers were having picnics and for once the town was a happy place to be.

I walked up to the town library and through to the information desk. "Excuse me I'm looking for the hall of records." I told the middle aged woman that was looking longingly out the tall windows.

The woman turned to me and looked at me like I was an alien. I knew that look I was new to town and she didn't know me. It was just then that I noticed that she wasn't middle aged at all. With all the make-up that she wore she did look way older, but if I had to guess she wasn't that much older than me.

"And you are?" she asked raising her eyebrows looking at me like I was a disgusting pest on the floor.

I had it there. I was not going to be looked at like that from a part time librarian who looked like Mimi from the Drew Carey show. I squared my shoulders and narrowed my eyes at her. I saw her name tag and it said "Hello my name is Lauren" and decided to use my power of name.

"Lauren is it?" She nodded at me once very curtly. "Well Lauren my name is Isabella Marie Swan, you know Mayor Swan's daughter. And if I were to go to his office right now and tell him that a rude annoying bitch was working at the town library you would be looking for a new job by the end of the day." I said giving her the same curt appraisal that she had given me.

Lauren's eyes widened with every word I spoke. I normally wouldn't have used my father's power but this girl was not going to make me feel like I was not worthy of being in her presence. "Of course Ms Swan, I can help you with anything you need." You could tell that her helpful tone was forced and the smile she had plastered on her face was fake. She was going to work hard for her minimum wage today.

"Well I need all the records on the Mayor's house, including floor plans, and resident history." I told her. Really all I need was the floor plans but she had pissed me off so she was going to be hopping for hours.

"That's easy, the house was the Cullen estate before your father bought it five years ago." She said trying to get out of finding the documentation. _Bitch, please_.

"Lauren, I did not ask you to tell me the history and unless you are a book, I don't want to hear your voice until I have all of the documents in front of me. Are we clear?" I spat at her.

She huffed in an exaggerated way and spun on her heels to leave. "All of them, Lauren." I chided.

After four hours of Lauren going back and fourth, I finally had everything I had asked for stacked in front of me. Lauren looked worse for wear after going up and down stairs to the archives, but I didn't feel sorry for her. Hopefully she learned a lesson about customer service.

I stared with the deeds of ownership records for the house. It seemed like the best place to start, and it was right in front of me. I took off the cap of my pen and started making notes. I decided that I needed a timeline to cover the history of the house.

1850 – The house was built and purchased by a Mr. Carlisle Cullen, who moved from London, England. The house was closed up in 1865.

1919 – The house was reopened by the son of Carlisle Cullen by the name of Edward Masen Cullen, but closed up one year later in 1920.

1922 – The house was reopened by Edward and was occupied by Carlisle, Carlisle's new wife Esme, and himself. It was closed up in 1928.

1955 – The house was empty for a long while until it was opened by Edward Masen Cullen's son Carlisle Cullen and was occupied with his wife, his wife's brothers and one sister, and their cousins the Hales. The house was closed in 1960.

2003 – The sale of the house to one Charles Swan. To present.

I sat there for a few minutes looking at my notes. I thought about the conversation that I had with Alice on Monday. Hadn't she told me that she had a brother named Edward? Was Dr. Cullen's first name Carlisle? I was thinking that it was family names. A lot of old families passed names down the line. But hadn't Alice said that all the Cullen children were adopted? Maybe they changed Edward's name to pass it down the line.

I started to look at the floor plans for the house itself. I needed to find what I was looking for. The day was winding down and the clouds were rolling in. It seemed like a shame to be indoors on a gorgeous day like today. But of course the Swan mindset had me doing research in the dusty library. I was such a geek.

The original document had the house being one story. It had three rooms not including the kitchen and the dinning/living great room. Right before the house was reopened in 1955 the house was expanded to have two other stories. The two stories included six bedrooms and six adjoining bathrooms.

I thought about the house in its current state. I counted five Bedrooms and bathrooms. So the last bedroom must be on the third floor. But where was it.

I looked for the diagrams of the house. In front of me were the diagrams for the original building. It was highly yellowed, and the ink was faded but I got the gist of how it looked. The next two diagrams were of the new first floor and fresh second floor. Not much had changed from then to now. It was like I was taking a two dimensional tour of my father's house. It was neat to see the vision of what someone planned the house to look like before it was built.

When I went to get the diagram for the third floor it wasn't there. I looked through all the paperwork in front of me and couldn't find it. Thinking that maybe it fell on the floor I got down on my hands and knees to look for it.

While I was under the table I heard someone walk up beside me. "Excuse me. We don't allow crude behavior in the library." Lauren was a bitch. I also decided that she was now my mortal enemy.

"What Lauren? Are you jealous that I can get into this position and I don't need anyone behind me?" I said standing up and brushing my clothes off. "Because if you are I can recommend a good… well you wouldn't know good it hit you in between your… never mind." I said shaking my head.

Lauren stood in front of me looking like a deer in headlights. "Listen did you bring me all of the building plans for the Mayor's house?" I asked, trying for nice.

"Yeah I brought you everything that you asked for." She said looking at her nails.

"Well, can you tell me where the plans for the third floor are?" I asked.

"Third floor? The Mayor's house doesn't have a third floor."

"Well, then tell me why the construction plans have written mention of a third floor." I was getting fed up with this. Having to explain this to her was pissing me off.

"I don't know, maybe they just forgot to build it." That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. This was bullshit. This girl was not smart enough to even walk through the doors of an elementary school let alone work at a library.

"Well how do you explain…" I stopped looking at the plans for the second floor. My mouth dropped open. How did I not see this before? While being pissed off at the bitch standing beside me, I had missed it. "Never mind, I need a copy of this." I handed her the plans and collected my things.

"Whatever." She said walking to the front desk to make my copies.

After leaving the library I didn't have time to look into my new find. It was later than I thought it was and the rain had started. I had to get home and play the good daughter.

Dinner with dad was quiet to say the least… no pun intended. Charlie was a man of little word… and actions. Hell, he did everything as little as possible. Alma had outdone herself with dinner though and it was delicious. Cooked to perfection.

After dinner I was making my way upstairs when I noticed something I hadn't noticed before. It was only 7 o'clock, but as I got to the landing of the stairs I noticed my father grabbing his coat and leaving.

He was probably going over to Tanya's house. I wondered how often he did that. Was he that into her that he couldn't spend one night without her? It was an endearing thought and a scary one too. Eww… was he going to have intercourse? I quickly put the thought out of my head and ran the rest of the way up the stairs to wash my brain out with soap. Gross!

After my shower I decided to do some of my homework. It didn't take to long, I had done most of it already so it wasn't the time killer that I had hope that it would be. I turned on my computer and check what was up with the news. "Woman get's hit in the head with Bill Murry's golf ball." _Okay shutting down the computer_. I sighed and grudgingly walked over to the bed.

The truth was I was dreading going to sleep. This morning was still fresh in my brain. I did not want to have a repeat performance. I got to the bed but made a beeline to the full length mirror in my room.

"Where are you?" I said to myself in the mirror. I felt anger and I felt stupid, which fueled my anger. "I'm tired of avoiding mirrors and I'm tired of crying my eyes out. I know I'm not crazy so where are you?" I screeched.

I looked at the mirror and only saw myself. When I was feeling very stupid and about to have myself committed I saw movement from behind me. A bronze haired man that was tall and beautiful.

I spun around but no one was there. Had I really seen him? I turned back to the mirror, and waited. I saw it again from the other side of the room. But when I turned he was gone again. This was ridiculous, I wasn't sure if I was really seeing anything.

I remembered something that I had read. The book said that the last thing that you think about is usually the thing that you dream about. God, I was willing to try anything. I made my way over to the bed, and crawled underneath the covers. I reach over and turned out the bedside light and was submerged in darkness.

I was laying in my bed thinking about everything that seemed to be changing since I moved back into this house. Thoughts were flooding my overtired brain. The Cullen's old house, the mysterious third floor, and the bronzed hair boy I kept getting glimpses of in these wretched mirrors. I felt myself floating away, nodding into another dream.

_This dream was different than any of the other I had had before. Always, there was a sense of panic, of urgency about the dreams. I knew that if I didn't get where I was going, I was in grave peril. Someone, or something, wanted me gone. Or dead. But now I only had a feeling of peace. Then I felt my skin start humming. I knew he was near._

_I heard my angel's voice, "Save me and it will be all better." It felt like he was right next to me. His velvet voice wrapped around me and kept me safe. I felt something stroking my skin with the smoothest of caresses that heated and chilled me at the same time. I felt electricity running through my whole body, sending shivers down my spine, tingling to my core. _

_With a jerk, I was back in the same hallway. The hallway that led to the doorknob with the diamond encrusted handle and the emerald stone. I could smell a spring meadow and I felt someone standing extremely close behind me. I could feel his chilly breath on my neck and a coolness running down my arms and wrapping around my waist, like I was being pulled into his chest. It was such a feeling of comfort, desire, want, and longing? I wasn't afraid even though I couldn't turn around to see him. _

"Who are you?_" _

"_Tell me." He gated. _

I don't understand_…. His arctic touch started behind my ear and traveled down my neck. It was the most erotic thing I'd felt. My breathing became erratic and my heart was beating faster. Then I felt a soft sensual sucking on my earlobe with soft butterfly kisses that replaced the coldness extending down my neck. I moaned softly as I felt myself becoming aroused. _

"_Tell me" The phantom hands were softly moving up my spine, across my back and down my arms to my stomach. I gasped as I felt the current running through my body. "Find Me." I was panting as his icy fingers moved under my shirt and up my ribs. My breath hitched as they ran across my lacy bra and stroked my hard nipples. _

_I was gasping for air. He was seducing me and I wanted him to. I needed to see him but couldn't move. I could hear him breathing as heavy as I was and could feel his hard erection pressing firmly against my back. I needed him. No, I wanted him, more than anything I'd ever wanted. _

_I wanted to touch him and kiss him with all the passion and fire that was burning inside me. I wanted to run my hands through his hair, along his chest, down his arms, over his body. I wanted to feel him inside me. I heard a sharp intake of breath. Could he know what I was thinking? _

_His fingers were under my bra, stroking and twisting my nipples. Oh God, his touch was going to be my undoing. _Please tell me how to find you, how to help you. I'll do anything for you_. His fingers slowly moved down my sides, touching my waist. My heat was beating faster and we were both panting. I could feel he wanted me as much as I wanted him. _

_His fingers moved along the outside of my jeans to my center, stroking me. I was grinding against him and his fingers. The image of the bronze-haired boy flashed into my head. I used that vision to focus on. Oh my God, I was so close. My center was hot, wet, and throbbing. I moaned loudly now, pleading with him for my release._

_Suddenly, the world around me exploded into tiny fragments of pleasure. I writhed against him, lost in the sensation, soaring on the feeling. There was too much sound. Waves and crescendos of sound were battering my hearing. My vision grayed before it burst into colorful beams of light. As my climax tapered off, I felt my body floating towards peacefulness._

_I felt his presence at my ear once more and his voice whispered, "I'm sorry." Then he was gone. _

I sat up in my bed, sweaty and panting. It had been a dream. Nothing more than a wet dream. I was mortified, but still oddly aroused. It had all felt so real, so earth shattering. I was stunned. I just had my first orgasm with a dream lover that I didn't know. I needed to find him, wanted to be with him.

I rolled over, determined to get a restful night's sleep when I caught sight of one of the mirrors in my room. I could swear there was the ghostly image of my bronze-haired incubus. He was smirking at me. I buried my face into my pillow and screamed. Now I knew I was going crazy. That wasn't even the last thing that I had thought about before I went to sleep. Shit!


	5. Nancy Drew

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. **

**Okay guess what we have a winner for the Cuddly Cullen Zoo. Its ****sorcerergirl90****. For today you get a very cuddly Jasper, this includes leash, collar, and loin cloth (yum). Congrats girl and thank you for your kind words.**

**Okay, many of you loved last chapter. That makes my heart super happy. **

**So hears chapter 5**

**Chapter Five: Nancy Drew**

The morning after my erotic dream was fantastic. When I finally did get back to sleep last night, it was a deep uninterrupted sleep. I had no dreams what so ever. While I was sitting in bed trying to shake off sleep, I tried to remember the last time I slept so well. Answers were not forth coming. The dreams had started so long ago that even a good dream was not in my memory. My nights had been plagued for so long it was a wonder that I hadn't broken down before this.

I decided that I was going to have my breakfast date with Alma and Steven this morning. I had slept late for the last four days trying to rest between dreams and I had let myself miss my time with them. I felt guilty for that. I knew that they worried about me, as always, and I needed some time with them. I needed to show them that I was getting better.

I padded across the room towards the bathroom and looked into the full length mirror. I remembered the dream with the bronze haired boy and blushed deeply. A wet dream of a imaginary boy, and now I willed my mind to create him so that I could see him. My blush deepened and I quickly averted my eyes. How pathetic was I to feed my deliriums with a little bit of slap and tickle with a figment of my imagination? I was pathetic. I turned to the bathroom for my shower.

Breakfast with Alma and Steven was great. Alma was badgering Steven about leaving his underwear on the floor of their bathroom in the servant's quarters. "I swear Steven dear, there is a hamper right there and you always seem to miss." She was griping.

Steven turned and looked at me, he winked, "I'm going to be a professional basketball player someday and you'll be sorry you didn't let my underwear stay on the floor."

Alma looked astonished, and a little bit confused, "Steven dear, you're sixty years old. Somehow I think that dream is long lost so pick up your underwear." She said.

Steven managed to look a little hurt, "Age is not that important." He said making his way out of the kitchen. When the door closed Alma and I looked at each other and broke out in a fit of giggles. They always had conversations like that. If I was going to have a husband and the only thing that we had to fight about was dirty underwear, life would be good. I called it the Steven & Alma dynamic.

After cleaning my plate and placing it into the dishwasher I made my way upstairs to my room. I wanted to look over the paper work, documents, and notes that I had gotten at the library. I knew that Dr. Cullen was going to be here soon to check on me but I had time to look and study.

I wasn't sure why but the Cullen line was so interesting to me. I decided to ponder this for a minute. The house was never open for very long. It was like a summer house of sorts without the summer. The longest that the house was open was when it was first purchased in 1850. After that the second longest was in 1955. There were instances were the house wasn't opened for a number of years just to be opened for one year and closed again.

It was a strange history for a house. Usually a house was purchased and sold many times over, especially a house this old. But the Cullens never let it out of their possession. I found a document dated 1956. Apparently the town of Forks wanted to expand the town in the direction of the Cullen house. The documents went on for years to just drop off in 1959. After that date I found nothing even mentioning the expansion of the town or if there was a settlement between the Cullens and the town. In fact there wasn't even an expansion project in the works. It was like that town just decided to stay small.

I was deep in thought when there was a knock on the door. It could only be one of two people and I wasn't sure how they would take me researching them. I pushed the documents under a pillow on my bed and called out, "Come in."

The door slowly opened and in walked the most gorgeous doctor anyone on the planet had ever seen, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. "Good Morning, Bella. How are you feeling today?" He asked. He had a voice that drew attention, not because it was loud or obnoxious, but because it was just as gorgeous as he was. He was tall, blonde and had intense eyes like Alice and the other Cullens. I had heard that he was married but I couldn't remember her name for the life of me.

"I'm good. A little bored, when can I go back to school?" I asked.

"Monday is okay. Can we take your vitals and then complete a blood sugar test? He asked.

I nodded but in truth I could so go without the blood sugar test. He had to poke my finger and take a drop of my blood on a small test strip and place it into a machine. He explained the people with diabetes took this test three and four times a day, _a day_. Just the smell of the little bit of blood sent my heart racing and stomach turning. I couldn't imagine doing it every day four times a day.

I breathed shallowly, trying to keep from puking on my doctor, and laid down on my pillows to alleviate some of the dizziness. I felt and heard the paperwork slide onto the floor before I could grab them. Dr. Cullen and I stared at the fallen pages and then at each other.

"Um." Was the intelligent thing that came out of my mouth.

"Are you researching the family?" Dr. Cullen asked with a interested look on his face.

"Dr. Cullen…"

He stopped me, "Just call me Carlisle." He said. The look on his face was gentle, and curious.

"Carlisle…" I continued. "I was researching the house. I'm sorry if you feel that I'm intruding, but my father said it was okay, and of course since your family had ownership for so long they came up." I finished. I prepared myself by squeezing my eyes shut for the verbal beating that he was sure to give me for intruding on his personal life. I cringed thinking about the names he would call me for being just like everyone else in this town. Small minded and nosy where his family was concerned, but it never came.

I chanced a peek through one eye and expected to find him fuming, but what I saw was a surprise to me. Carlisle stood in front of me with a very amused look on his face. I blushed with the power of six men, was he laughing at me?

"I suppose you're right, Bella. Let me know what you find out." He said chuckling a bit.

I was floored. I knew that if it was my family I might be a little peeved at someone's intrusion. But he thought it was funny. I nodded at him and looked at the floor. I couldn't look him straight in the face. I was too embarrassed to even speak.

"Bella I understand that the girls are coming over tomorrow." He said changing the subject. I was beyond grateful.

"Um… yeah, my father is going to be gone and I really don't want to be here by myself." I stated.

"I understand, have fun with them. They really are great. But I have to stop them from staying the night." He said reluctantly.

I looked up at him confused. Why couldn't they stay the night? Was he angry with me and just didn't want to say anything? Was he being polite letting them come over at all, because we made plans?

I think that he saw that war going on in my head, it was probably written all over my face. "Bella, it is just that I have off this weekend and I wanted to spend some time with them. I'll tell you what; would you like to come over to the house on Sunday?" He asked placing his hand on my shoulder.

The relief must have shown on my face. Of course he would want to spend time with his family on his days off. I felt stupid and very conceited. I had thought it was all because of me instead of looking at the whole situation. I blushed and nodded at him.

Shortly after collecting his medical instruments he left. I pulled out my documents to get back to my studies. I wanted a chance to look at the second floor plans. They had caught my attention yesterday and I wanted to really have a chance examine them, but as I pulled them out my bedroom door opened and Alice danced in.

She was carrying six very huge shopping bags from various department stores. She looked proud of her self. "Hey, Bella. Special delivery." Her voice was so sing song it was almost like she was singing as she said it.

"Hey Alice, no school today?" I asked her.

"Nope…" she said popping the P, "I have no classes on Fridays. It's a special work program. You see, I want to be a personal shopper when I grow up." She was hanging up various articles of clothing in my closet.

"Alice, are all those bags for me?" I looked at the scattered bags on the floor horrified. I told her not to go over board.

"No silly, this one…" she gestured to a very small Macy's bag, "is for the Mayor." She pulled out one tie.

"It is a fabulous tie." I said making her look very proud of herself. I'd let her have her way for now, but next time I would have to put my foot down.

I put the documents away to help Alice with her self imposed chore. I could get back to them tonight. Alice and I talked about outfits that went together and joked about the different things that were going on in school. She was really great company to have on a day where nothing else was going on. Hell, she was great to have on days that were hectic.

While sitting at my desk looking at random things on YouTube she glanced over at the pile that was sitting on my desk. I followed her gaze to see her looking at the stack of papers I'd gotten at the library.

"So you met Lauren huh?" she asked not looking up from the pile of papers.

"Yeah, she's a first rate bitch. So I got bitchy back." I said. Then I blushed at how cocky I sounded to myself.

"Good, she needed someone to put her in her place. Might as well be the Mayor's daughter." Alice sounded distracted. She reached over and pulled the floor plans out of the pile. "Why do you have this?" She asked.

"I was looking for something." I said not looking at her.

"What are you looking for?"

"The third floor."

"This house doesn't have a third floor." She said but then her eyes glazed over. Her face was still facing me but it was like she was looking through me, at something far off.

"Alice?" I called. "Alice?"

She acted as if she didn't hear me. I tried to remember what to do if someone started having fits. If I needed help I knew that Alma was just an intercom button away. In fact as I was about to make my way to the intercom she snapped out of it.

"I'm sorry Bella but I zoned out… um… I need to go. I'll see you later okay?" she said while making her way to the door. I didn't have time to respond before she was gone and I was staring at a closed door.

It was weird the way that Alice had acted this morning but, Alice will be Alice. So I let it go. Who was I to question her? I was sure that she would tell me later. And if she didn't, it really was none of my business.

I spent the rest of the day with Alma. Every Friday she would finish any laundry that needed to be done, clean and dust so that all was right during the weekend. This Friday was particularly busy because she insisted on cooking meals for me to have with my friends.

I let her, not because I couldn't cook, but because she wanted to make sure that I was alright. Alma's motherly instinct was endearing. I sat in the kitchen or whatever room she was in and we talked and laughed. It reminded me of Renee, and the relaxed time I had with her. I was happy that Charlie kept Alma on.

When it was time for Alma to call it a day it was way after six in the evening. She had worked hard today, her warm eyes looked very tired. As she bundled up in her rain coat she looked at me.

"Your father is getting a head start on his fishing this weekend; you don't mind being here alone do you?" She was looking at me with concern.

I knew that if I told her that I did that she and Steven would stay in one of the guest rooms for me, but she did look tired and I wasn't sure if the rooms had linen. I didn't want her to have to make up a room. "No I'm fine. I'm just going to watch a movie and maybe go to bed early." I lied.

I had other things on my mind and for some reason the last two hours were eating at me. I was anxious to get started.

"Okay but if you need anything just call." The servant's cottage was on the grounds so I was never really alone. I nodded and hugged her tight telling her good night. The door wasn't even closed all the way before I was shooting up the stairs to my room.

I changed into an older pair of jeans, which weren't that old thanks to Alice's rampage through my closet, and a loose t-shirt. After putting on my sneakers I grabbed the second floor plans and made my way to the hall.

I had to do this. My choice had been made this morning when Alice was here. It was the last thing that she said before she zoned out on me. It was the thing that every one said to me. They all said that this house didn't have a third floor. When Alice said it I was determined as ever to find it. How was it that people couldn't see a whole row of windows? It was like the whole town was blind to it.

I had to remind myself that I too just noticed it. Or did I? Was this part of my mental issues? I shook off that thought. If I was crazy then I would deal with that when I got to that road. But until then there was no way I was going to stop.

Standing in the hall I studied the plans closely. As I had thought, there was a set of stairs in the plans down the hall from my room. When I was a kid I had wondered about the end of the hall. At the other end of the hall, where my father's rooms were, there was a window looking out into the yard. But on this end there was nothing. I used to wonder why the old owners were too cheap to install another window to make the house uniform. I always shrugged it off, but now I had the reason, the wall was built in front of a staircase.

Turning on the hallway lights, I started to slowly make my way to the wall to examine it. It looked just like all the other walls. The top was textured paint in an eggshell white while the bottom was dark wood paneling. I ran my hand softly over the top of it and then went to the wall to my left to feel if there was a difference. There was none. They were exactly the same in every way.

I started to knock on the walls, to see if there was a change. I really didn't know what I was looking for. I felt stupid, here I was trying to be Nancy Drew and I didn't even know what I was doing. I sighed, maybe everyone was right. Maybe the windows were for show.

I turned to make my way back to my room when I felt a breeze flow around me.

"_Find me." _ A swirl of scents carried the voice to me. The scents of honey and vanilla surrounded me. "_Please." _The voice begged. It was the first time that I had heard the voice in a waking state. The breeze sent a shiver down my spine but wrapped my body in comfort.

I walked back to the wall and the breeze intensified with every step that I took toward it. It was like the air was coming through the wall. "_Find Me." _The voice whispered. The voice was coming from under the wall as was the breeze. I lowered myself to the floor and the breeze blew harder. There was something behind this wall.

I started knocking on the paneling, each knock sounding like the other. I came to the middle of the paneling when the knocking became hollow, it sounded like something was missing behind it. As I examined the space it looked like a perfect square was built into the paneling. I pushed on it and the square slide popped out like a swinging door. Behind the paneling was what looked like, a lever?

I looked at it intently thinking about how best to make it work. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to hide this lever and whatever it led to. Why would anyone want to hide a whole story to a house? I needed to figure this out. I needed to verify my sanity. I needed to know that I wasn't losing my mind.

With my mind made up I went to pull the lever and a white cold hand shot out from behind me. It jerked me around. I gasped loudly looking wide eyed at the person that stood in front of me.


	6. Beautiful

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Okay guys. I got really good feed back for the last chapter people are foaming at the mouths for the next chapter. You guys are great. So starts the next leg in our little contest. The person who writes the fiftieth review gets tickets to the next show of the Cuddly Cullen Zoo. Good luck all Read and review.**

**So here it is Chapter 6.**

_Last time:_

_I started knocking on the paneling, each knock sounding like the other. I came to the middle of the paneling when the knocking became hollow, it sounded like something was missing behind it. As I examined the space it looked like a perfect square was built into the paneling. I pushed on it and the square slide popped out like a swinging door. Behind the paneling was what looked like, a lever? _

_I looked at it intently thinking about how best to make it work. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to hide this lever and whatever it led to. Why would anyone want to hide a whole story to a house? I needed to figure this out. I needed to verify my sanity. I needed to know that I wasn't losing my mind._

_With my mind made up I went to pull the lever and a white cold hand shot out from behind me. It jerked me around. I gasped loudly looking wide eyed at the person that stood in front of me._

**Chapter Six: Beautiful**

Standing before me was the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Okay Rose was prettier but this chick could give her a run for her money. She had long flowing strawberry blonde hair that flowed around her face like there was a breeze in the room, but the air stood still. She was tall and even without her red pantsuit and five inch heels she would have been taller then me. Her eyes pulled me in, and as I looked I could swear they were the same color as the Cullen's eyes.

She wore a scowl on her gorgeously glossed lips and for some reason I felt that it was directed at me. Did she know what I was doing? Was she mad because I was doing it? I couldn't help but think that the answer was yes. I had the sudden feeling that I needed to lie to this women. I needed to get away from her as fast as possible.

"Can you believe this?" I said gesturing to the wall I had been examining. "How am I supposed to replace this paneling if someone put pipes and no drywall behind it? I mean What the fuck? I come out here to make sure that I can just pull the paneling away from the wall and I find this shit. Oh I'm Bella by the way." I said, turning away from her and looking at the wall like I was truly dumfounded. God I hoped this worked.

"Well I can see your dilemma, maybe the workmen can fix it." She said in a voice that tinkled like bells. This also reminded me of the Cullens. "I'm Tanya." She said. I was relieved that the scowl had left her face and my false rant had worked. She actually looked at me like I was simple minded. Obviously my father hadn't told her about me or she would know different. I was a mix of glad and pissed at this revelation.

"Tanya, it's nice to finally meet you. What brings you here?" I asked her. She looked uncomfortable at first but the emotion on her face passed quickly, the look on her face that replaced it was mock embarrassment. It didn't reach her eyes and I was no idiot. She was here for some reason and I had a feeling that it had something to do with what I had just found. I wasn't sure why, but she was no step mom material.

"Um, well I was looking for Charlie. I thought maybe he would like to go to Seattle this weekend." She said.

"Oh… he went to La Push. You might be able to get him on his cell if you want."

"Well he is probably fishing; I'll just try again tomorrow."

"Whatever." I shrugged. "I'm going to bed so if you can let yourself out since you let yourself in." I really didn't care that I was being rude. I hated when people treated me like I was dumb, even though I had just played that way.

"Okay, I guess I'll talk to you later." Now she did look embarrassed.

I left her standing in the hall by herself and made my way back to my room. I wasn't even going to say good-bye. For some reason I could feel apprehension when I was standing there with her. I was in fear and I didn't know why. The tension that I felt was familiar. I had felt it the day that I had passed out in the dining area. It was heavy then like I could reach out and touch it. This was less but it was still there. How could this woman make me feel this way.

I waited for a long time trying to make sure that she was gone. There was no way I was going to stop. I was drawn to that panel. I needed to get there; I needed what was behind it. There was a mystery that needed to be solved. I chuckled again at myself; I was being Nancy Drew again.

An hour later it was almost one in the morning. I was getting tired but at the same time I was anxious. I made my way back down the hall. I didn't turn on the lights this time and the house was dark and quiet. I couldn't help but think that I hated it. Every step I took sounded like a marching band going through the house, accompanied by my beating heart on percussion.

I followed along the wall as close as I could without crawling into it. My eyes darted all around me and I felt like someone was watching ready to jump out at me at anytime. I was getting paranoid and it was getting ridiculous. I knew that I was in the house by myself but I could feel eyes watching me. I didn't dare look the mirror that was at the end of the hall but I felt like that was where the watcher was.

I opened the panel on the wall and again studied the lever that was there. It looked like if I just pulled it out on one end something would happen. I wrapped my hand around the lever and pulled. At first nothing happened. The lever didn't move. It just held fast not going anywhere.

I tried to jiggle it back and forth. I noticed that it was loose, almost like it needed to by screwed in. That got me thinking, if I couldn't pull it forward than maybe I could turn it. I took the top and bottom of the lever and twisted it in a counter clockwise motion. It moved and somewhere behind the wall I heard a click like a counter weight had been hit.

Right before my eyes the whole wall swung inwards and complete darkness lay ahead on me. When I say complete darkness I mean complete. It was like there were no windows to let in any moonlight and so there was no way my eyes were going adjust to it.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not afraid of the dark by any means, but I am clumsy as hell. I have trouble walking in a very well lit room, so very dark places were a no go for me. And this space was completely dark so there was no question that I needed a flashlight. Safety first, that's what Renee always told me.

I quickly went back to my room and to my side table drawer. I kept a flash light in there for blackouts and such. Like I said if you look up clumsy there will be a picture of me right next to the definition that said 'just watch Bella'. So a flashlight was necessary, no candles because fire was imminent, but flashlight.

I went back to the trap door in the wall. Turning on the flashlight I saw my first obstacle right in front of me. A great big spider web stretched across the stairway in front of me. Boy was I glad that I stopped to get the flashlight. If I had walked into that, well lets just say they would have heard me screaming in La Push. I shuddered quietly to myself.

I had come this far to unlock this mystery, a stupid spider web wasn't going to stop me. Hadn't I said that I faced my fears? I secretly said a prayer that nothing made a permanent residence in my hair and swiped the foul presence out of my way. It kind of made my feel like Indiana Jones, without the whip and the hot scar on my chin. And of course Indiana Jones wouldn't have squealed like a little girl either.

My next obstacle was the stairs. They looked ancient and the dust and soot that was on it had not been disturbed in years. My problem was whether they were sturdy enough for me to navigate them. It would be just my luck to be on them and fall through in a crumpled heap, just to nurse broken bones for months. Remember… dictionary, Bella, clumsy, I should add accident prone to that list, because my picture is there too.

I put half my weight on the first step to test the wood it was made out of. A loud creak made me unsure but when the step held I put all my weight on it. I did this routine for all the steps to make sure they were fine. I got to the top of the stairs and looked back. I thought about the great workmanship that went into those stairs. They don't make them like that anymore. Great now I'm Bob Villa from _'This Old House',_ minus the beard and the heavy looking tool belt.

I turned around and shined my light down the hall. It was one long hallway with a hard wood floor. At first I was struck with a sudden feeling of déjà vu, it was overwhelming at first. I felt dizzy as my mind tried to place it. But the true emotions surfaced when I realized that I did know this hallway.

I had been dreaming about it for the last four years. The lighting was all different but this was the last hallway. The one that I always got to but never was able to get past. My nerves were shot at this point. How in the hell had I been dreaming about this hallway. I started looking behind me looking for the danger that I always felt at this point in the dream, but there was nothing.

I decided that I was pressing my luck just standing there. I made my way back down the stairs. As I reached the bottom step an overwhelming feeling of sadness came over me. I felt like I was going to fall to my knees with the pressure of the sadness in the air.

"_Please!" _A voice sighed, or should I say 'the voice'. It was coming from up the stairs and it was begging.

"_Find me."_ It called.

"I'm trying. Please calm down." I said in a whisper. Great now I was talking to myself. But as soon as I said it the sadness went away. The feeling was of anticipation. I could deal with that, I was feeling it already.

I shuffled over to the false wall and pushed it closed. Hopefully I would hear if someone came up to find me. Just that thought made me feel more at ease.

I went back up the stairs and started down the hall. There were still no windows so it was still really dark, but I made my way to the door. The knob was just as I had dreamed it. It was sliver with jewels and two green stones.

"If I twist this will it be locked again?" I asked timidly. I heard a faint chuckle that seemed to come from nowhere at all.

"Sure, laugh at me. Great now my psychosis has a sense of humor." I mumbled.

I huffed out a large breath and went for the door knob. It was cool to the touch, and despite the jewels it was smooth. I took a deep breath and turned the knob, and the door creaked open.

I stared in astonishment that the door opened. I mean I wanted it to open, but I had expected it to be locked like in the dream. A new feeling washed over me. Excitement and a strange calm at being able to navigate this part of the dream. But I wasn't dreaming this was happening. An adventure in my own house.

As I crossed the threshold into the room I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up. It was like a pulse of electricity pulsed through my body. It wasn't unpleasant at all but I gasped anyway at the new sensation. At the same time I thought that I heard a soft sigh all around me. This was the first time that I had felt comfortable in this house. It was like I was meant to be here.

Even though I felt good I still noticed that there wasn't any light in this room. There were windows all around me but no light came in. I walked over to the window sill closest to me and looked out. I had a perfect view of the front drive of the house. I could see over the tops of some of the trees. But even though it was a clear night and the moon was high there was no light coming into this room. I shrugged it off and looked around.

I shined my flashlight around the room. It was a huge room that span the whole third floor. The air was stale and a thick layer of dust covered everything. I turned back to the window and opened it with effort. There was no way I was going to be able to breath in here for long if I didn't let a breeze air out this place. Then I stated to explore.

As the flashlight beam sweep the room I noticed a lamp on the side table of a black leather couch in the middle of the room. I carefully made my way over to it, hoping beyond hope that it would work and I wouldn't have to investigate in the dark. Somebody heard my silent prayer and the room was flooded with light. The only thing that I could describe before my eyes was that it looked like a museum. A room unchanged and forgotten by all, that stood the test of years passed.

The walls were painted with what looked like it could have been gold paint that was faded into a shiny yellow. In one corner of the chasm of a room was what looked like a music collection. There were all sorts of records of artists like Nat King Cole, and Elvis, and the music went on and on. Right next to the shelves and shelves of music sat a record player with a record already in place.

I moved the needle and it filled the room with the light sounds of Debussy. I knew that composer well, Renee had a thing for classical music, and I love some of the pieces myself. I let the record play and made my way to a different part of the room.

As I passed through the room I noticed that there was no bed in it. I wondered absently is this was a sitting room of sorts, somewhere for the family to get away from the world. I would love a place like this to get way. In fact now that I was thinking about it, I would like to use this room for just that.

I made my way to another wall and there were nothing but books. They seemed to be in alphabetical order. "Anal retentive much?" I muttered to my self. But as I examined the titles I realized that a lot of these were first addition classics. Books that I had read and reread over and over, plus some that I had always wanted to read, lined the shelves. I was in literary heaven.

With all the new and old reads that were in this room I almost forgot about the rest of the room. In a far corner was a baby grand piano. A huge baby grand piano. I chanced a second glance at the stairs and wondered, "How the hell did they get that up here." Again I heard a faint chuckle on the wind that blew in through the windows. I smiled to my self and continued on with the tour.

I came to a desk that sat behind the couch. On this desk was stack of leather bound books with binding ties on them. They looked like journals. I pick up the top one and another shock ran up my arm, making me drop it suddenly. I looked around. There was a gold carpet on the floor so I shook it off as static.

I noticed that one already lay open. There was a date on the top of the page, 'December 24, 1959', written in elegant script. I picked up the journal because and as I was flipping through the pages two photographs fell out and landed on the desk face down.

The back of one photo read 'family 1955' and the second read 'Marie 1958'. I flipped the one that said family and my mouth dropped open. There standing together was the Cullens. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and two others with smiles on their faces, some holding each other in embraces. I could only assume that the woman Carlisle had his arm around was his wife, Esme. She had caramel brown hair and a very loving smile. She was just as beautiful as the rest.

The second person that I saw was a boy about seventeen years in age. He had dark bronze hair that stuck up in all directions. It was sexy 'fuck me' hair by today's standards. On his face he wore a crooked smile that was also very sexy, all and all this boy was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my life. "My god you are gorgeous." I whispered.

"_Me."_ I heard.

But that couldn't be. This picture was taken in the fifties. There was no way that Alice was even born in the fifties. The others either. What the hell was going on? I thought back on the Cullens and I couldn't make the connection. I decided to look at the other picture.

I picked it up and looked at it. In an instant I dropped it covering my mouth with a huge gasp. What the Fuck.

"Bella?"

My head snapped up and I was staring at none other than Alice.

"Alice what the fuck is happening?" I grabbed the picture that I dropped and showed her. "Who the fuck is this? And how in the hell did you get in here?" In the photograph that I was holding was a picture of _me._

"Bella, I can't tell you all the details. Some of it you have to find out for yourself. But when you do I swear it will all make sense. What I can tell you is this is Edward's room." She said with conviction. "Now read the journals and I will see you tomorrow night."

"I've seen this boy before Alice." I told her.

"No, Bella, he's been gone for a long time." She said shaking her head. She looked like she was getting ready to cry.

"No, I have seen him. Out of the corner of my eye in the mirrors and in my dreams. How is this Edward's room? You said that Edward was your brother that disappeared. He led me here, Alice." I said.

The look of Alice's face was utter confusion, then pain, and then she looked resolved. "Read the journals, I think that it is important." And with that she went back down the stairs.

I sighed loudly, the confusion and anger released into the stale air that surrounded me. This mystery wasn't even close to being solved. I ran my had through my hair and gathered the journals that was in front of me. This was going to be a very long weekend.

"_Beautiful." _The voice sighed around me.

"Yeah well I'm freaked so I suggest you keep you opinions to yourself." I snapped.

The last thing that I heard as I made my way down the stairs was a soft chuckle.


	7. Edward's Begining

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own this plot.**

**Hey guys, I loved that you all enjoyed the last chapter. It was fun to write. I loved all the guesses that you all came up with. I'm glad that I have your minds flowing. Keep it up and all will be reveled in time. **

**Chapter 6.**

**Chapter Six: Edward's Beginning **

_I walked into the house in a hurry, excitement written all over my face. "Edward? Edward?" I called._

_With in an instant he was next to me startling me, I couldn't help but smile at the smirk that he had on his face. "Yes Marie. You rang." He said giving me a slight bow. _

_I giggled at his silliness. Edward was so care free these days. I loved to watch him and his family moving around without a care in the world. Edward was my best friend and I loved him as much as I could. He wanted more, but because of who he was I didn't think that I could give that to him. _

"_Guess what?" I said in a smug voice._

"_What?" His face held mock curiosity. He already knew my news but I wanted to tell him anyway. _

"_I'm up for Prom Queen. Can you believe it?" I was over the top. Never had I thought that I would be getting the chance or the honor. _

_Edward picked me up and spun me around just as happy as I was. "So does that mean that you will go with me?" He asked._

_He had been asking me for the last three months, but I just couldn't. I knew how he felt about me, but I really didn't want to lead him on. Edward was too special for that. I didn't want to give him the false hope that anything could happen._

_I sighed loudly, "Edward, you know that…" He didn't let me finish. The look on his face stopped me in my tracks. Every time I said no it broke his heart. Even a little affection I could see him die just a little more. This was a happy occasion, "sounds great." I finished._

_His golden eyes shot up and bore deep into my brown ones. He was looking for something. He was looking to make sure that I wasn't lying or if I was sure. We stood there for seconds that felt like minutes, and still he looked for my denial. I stood my ground and let my eyes tell him what he needed to know. I guess he found what he wanted because I was scooped into his strong arms and again spinning around in the air._

_I didn't have it in me to hurt him anymore. He was my best friend and the one person that I could share this moment with and I knew he was honestly happy for me. The truth was I was in love with Edward, I had never told him as much, but it was there just under the surface. However, it had to stay there. He could never know, because the danger was too much. Life was too precious, and he knew as much as I that after I was gone he could never love another. But I think that as long as I keep my love from him he just might be able to find someone other then me. Someone worthy of that love, that only he was capable of giving._

_I hugged him as tight as I could considering he was much stronger then me. I let one tear escape my eye for the love that I kept secret and the happiness that we shared._

I woke that morning with the haze of the dream still in my mind. It was fleeting like a scent on the wind that you catch for a second and before you can grasp what it was, it's gone. By the time that I had stretched and ran my hands through my hair the only things that I was sure of were there were two people - one was named Marie and the other was Edward.

After I came back to my room last night, I had no energy to take a shower let alone read. I placed the journals in the bottom of my closet and barely got out of my jeans before falling face first into my bed. That kind of exertion was good to keep the nightmares away but not dreams all together. I guess it was fine as long as I didn't remember them in the morning.

I decided that I was going to get that shower and maybe eat some breakfast before I started my studies. I kept replaying Alice's words in my head. She said that she would tell me, but there are some things that I had to find out for myself. I mused for a few minutes what she could mean but no answers came. I sighed heavily and made my way to the bathroom.

After my shower and breakfast I made my way up the stairs. I grabbed one of the journals and made my way to my personal library. I sat in a chair by the window and opened to the first page. I took a deep breath. This was someone's personal thoughts. I would never want anyone to read my journals if I ever kept one. This was the thoughts of a person long forgotten. I uttered my respect and silently vowed not to tell a soul about the personal thoughts in this book and started. The first page said 'Edward Anthony Masen'.

_October 1918_

_How had this happened? How had my life turned in this direction? I had planned to be a soldier, to fight for my country and be an honor to my family. Even now the memories of all that I wanted were a haze. Even now my goals for the future are beyond the scope of my mind's eye. Now my future held all and nothing at all. There was so much I could accomplish, but little I could do with the knowledge. _

_I barely remember my mother and father, but I feel like I should feel some sort of loss of the two people that brought life to me. Yet I have very few memories of them from childhood or otherwise. I do remember the sickness, and I remember my father dying first, but after that it is all blank. I found that my mother had died trying to care for me, as I was delirious with fever, and hours from my own perish. But I was saved by a precarious doctor who had strange abilities and a compassionate heart._

_Strange to have such a heart and also be the embodiment of the devil, to carry the sickness that now took me in a whole new direction, not killing me but pushing for me to kill others. Or damn them to a half life for all to see but none to understand or truly know of. To watch as someone burned as I had burned, and I was sure the compassionate doctor had burned would be unbearable, and twisted, and more selfish than the most selfish of reasons. The fight was too hard. The suffering was high, but the kind doctor said the rewards were great. Time will reveal all to me, I pondered. _

_I woke from a pain that I care not to even think of again. A pain that brings you right to the edge of dying but never lets you have the peace of death. I shall never forget that pain as long as I live. If that's what you can call it, my life is more of an existence, and it will last for time. God has forsaken me into this existence and left me to be an instrument for Satan. Even now I try to fathom what sins I have committed to deserve this, but like I said, my memories fail. At seventeen years of age, what could I possibly have done that was so bad? Had I squandered my life away? Had I missed a chance to love and live just because that was what the lord had offered? At this point I care not, it's too late for me and the kind doctor. Life will pass and we will stay the same. Time will go on and still we will go unchanged._

_Carlisle was the first person I witnessed when I woke, the kind doctor. Even as a straight man he looked of angel descent with his blonde hair and golden eyes. He moved with a grace that even dancers didn't have and at first I was scared that he had brought me here for reasons not of the good natured sort. But the kindness in his eyes told me different. Just behind the kindness was a sort of pain and once I found out what he had done I understood. He had cursed me and he knew it. He wanted a companion, and from my mothers dying breaths of begging he decided that I was to be that being. Now that I think about it, I'm flattered because Carlisle is a scholar, always looking for the how and why. He studied the logic of how things worked and my interest was there in his musing as we talked for days upon end about things that I could never grasp before this curse._

_He was cautious, like a fear of me was all that he expected. The burn in my throat was most unpleasant. It was like someone was driving a hot poker from the fireplace down my throat. I was unbelievably thirsty and some how I knew water was not going to quench my thirst. Scents from the street below called to me and a strange thumping pounded into my ears. I wasn't sure why but it was like it was summoning me, calling me like a siren and my body way beyond my control._

_Upon finding out what I was, I was instantly ablaze with anger at my mother and the kind doctor. I ranted on and on accusing this compassionate being of stealing something that was never his to take. I was angered by my mother's assumption that this was something that I would want for myself. But after seeing the defeat in the being, that in essence saved me from eternal death, I calmed. I could tell that this was hard for him as well, and after hearing his story I understood how painful this choice had actually been for the kind doctor, the son of a zealot. He struggled every second with the hunger of the siren call and abstained totally, until the choice was made for me, and the agony of that choice haunted him to no bounds._

_With in the first few minutes of my awakening the burning that I had mentioned before was confusing and painful. I'm sure that the confusion showed on my face because Carlisle grabbed my hand and together we made our way to the rear yard. There I was told to observe him and I watch on bated breath as he leapt and without sound land over the fence without so much as touching it. I momentarily forgot the burning in my throat and tried to work the logic in my head. "Come Edward" he called. I shook my head. This man was daft, insane. There was no way I was going to be able to do that. I had looked at my own self. I looked in shape but he jested._

_He called me, assured me, that I could do it. And to my astonishment I did. In fact I over shot him by about three yards. _

_He took me to the forest and taught me the way of the vegetarian and for the last few weeks I have been learning of our kind. But to say that I was okay with it would be a farce. I was repulsed by what he showed me. Carlisle spoke to me for hours and in that time I learned that he was a Doctor of medicine. I was still trying to come to terms with what has happened to me but the stories that Carlisle has told me gives me hope. Lets me know that I can be something other than a monster, or pretend as well as he had for so many years. _

_But the epitome of my transformation, if you can call it that, only arose in the early hours of this evening. Carlisle and I were about to go out to eat, (I only call it that because the alternative is too dreadful as of yet for me to vocalize let alone write) and I had noticed that he was watching me intently. Everyday I struggled with what I was and I knew that it disheartened this man that cared for me without condition. He was accepting always with my rants and depressions. He stood as a father figure and even though as the days and weeks passed I remembered my father less I knew he was more of a father then the man I had called father for so many years was. __**Maybe this child was too young for the transformation. **__He said to himself. I spun around and told him that I was no child that I was well within the age of an adult. He looked as if I had just swallowed a canary, (which is not so off point). _

_He assured me that he had thought it and not voiced it. That was when the flood gates opened and I heard all the thoughts of every man and woman and child as far as I could. The pain in my head that it caused was massive and threatened to drive me mad. I curled up in a ball for days trying to shut it out, to turn off this curse that ailed me, but it was of no use. Carlisle watched me day in and day out trying to push me to control and not forget myself in the thoughts of so many, not realizing that his worrying thoughts were screaming at me all the while. It was at the point that I could take no more that I told him, and a decision was made. He closed up his practice and we packed up to move to a secluded area of the country. _

_This is why I am now in a small town called Forks, Washington. Carlisle has a small house with a lot of land surrounding it. Here I can work on my ability and hunger without hurting anyone._

_I pray that all goes well…_

I looked up from my reading and saw nothing in particular. My thoughts were with the entry. The words were still ringing in my mind. It was like there was something there just off the page. Something that he wanted to say, but it was something that he was too scared to make permanent in his words.

I wondered about the sickness that he spoke about. I thought about the fact that his memories were so foggy that he couldn't even remember his parents. I tried to think of diseases that could steal the memory and came up with none. Maybe the loss of his parents was so traumatic that he blocked it out. I knew that with the loss of Renee I did just want to forget, I couldn't imagine the loss of all my parental figures. It was just too awful a scenario to entertain.

The ending paragraphs confused me. He spoke of reading the minds of others and hurting from it. I thought about this, not even questioning that this was the truth that he was speaking. I thought of some of the people that I come in contact with over the years and shuttered. There was no way I would want to hear what they were thinking. I had trouble with my own thoughts let alone the inner musings of total strangers. I felt sorry for Edward. He did truly have a curse.

And then there was the issue that he stated about his hunger. He made many references about it but he never came out and said why it was a problem. He said that he was a vegetarian, but why was that such a bad thing to think about when he went out to eat. Then he mentions that his hunger can hurt people, which confused me also.

At that moment I realized that I was interested in this Edward. I didn't know why but I believed and felt for this person I knew only on paper. Then, somehow, my dream from this morning came back to me. Just the characters that had played in it, but the face that one had been called Edward and he had also resembled the boy from the pictures, made me wonder about what had been said about time in this journal. The logical side of my mind told me it couldn't be the same person. But the fantasy side asked if maybe this could be the same person.

I sat there in my library trying to piece together the words of this man, but they wouldn't come together. I looked over at the clock in my room. I had about two hours before lunch time so I decided to read another entry. What I noticed when I turned to the next page was that this Edward didn't write all the time. He wrote during special occasions or times that he particularly struggled with. The next entry wasn't until three years later in 1921.

_Know me._ A voice whispered around me.

That in its self pushed me on to the next entry. I just hoped that I was prepared for what was hidden in these pages. Somehow my life was changing and I was unprepared for what was to come.


	8. Emotional Fight

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**So guys, I'm glad that you all loved the last chapter. I really had a hard time writing it, It's hard to keep up with an canon Edward. He broods a lot. Anyway… A lot of you all have questions about how Alice and the other Cullens are reacting to the whole situation. This chapter is dedicated to those thoughts. This chapter is from Alice's point of view. I hope you like it. By The way if you all want a great rated M story go and check out **_**Mistress and her Master**_** by NanMcCullen. It's sexy as hell. **

**So here it is chapter 8.**

**Chapter Eight: Emotional Fight**

**APOV**

"I don't see what the problem is. I told you all that she will be okay with this." I said through clenched teeth.

We had been sitting in the dinning room talking and discussing since I got back early Saturday morning. A family meeting minus one, and it was that one that I was trying to find. It was that one, Edward, which I knew would be found. But of course, Rosalie is pissed and Emmett, being totally whipped, was on her side. So we weren't making any head way.

"Right and we should all listen to you when your visions are based on decisions? Are you kidding us, Alice? At any moment she could decide to tell someone what is going on and you went and let her have proof." Rosalie was fuming. I wondered if her anger was truly for all of us and not just herself. She was the most vain and self-centered creature I had ever met in my life.

For the hundredth time today I could feel a wave of calm coming from Jasper. I knew this was taking a toll on him. For him, this whole situation was hard. Feelings always ran high when it came to the chance that humans might find out about us. The last time was with Marie and it ended badly. Worst than badly, actually, and the high depression that ran through the house at the time was so intense that Jasper actually left for about six months. He only returned because Edward went missing.

I looked over at Carlisle. He really hadn't said much through this whole meeting. He hadn't made a decision to say anything and his mind was deep in thought. Edward's disappearance had been hardest on him. Edward was his son, his companion for so long. Together they had pursued knowledge, debated semantics, and over time learned what life had to offer them as vampires. The loss of Edward was so profound for Carlisle he didn't work for years, hunted only when he had too, and spent so much time on the phones calling all that would listen to help look for his son, with little results.

We heard nothing until about five years ago when Edward himself made a decision. He decided to reach out, but not to us but too a small fourteen year old girl by the name of Isabella Swan, the daughter of the mayor of Forks. A human girl, that by all rights was normal and of little consequence, but for some reason he reached out to her. She didn't even live in Forks permanently, only coming to visit her father for two weeks during the summer. Then she stopped.

I had never met her but I was in tune with her, I watched her grow and bloom into someone that I thought that I knew a very long time ago, _Marie_. She walked, talked, held herself and looked like Marie. Then I knew why Edward had reached out to her. They shared a bond, even stronger than Jaz and mine. A love that transcended time, but a love that was never acted upon.

"How did we forget about his room?" Esme asked.

"I'm not sure. It was like something was keeping him hidden from us." I said shaking my head. That was as far as I had gotten with my thoughts. I thought about yesterday when I was with Bella and I saw the floor plans. I saw the stair case that led to nowhere, and then I remembered. But so had Carlisle, he had seen them too. He had remembered. The pain was so strong that Jasper cried out when Carlisle walked into the room.

Rosalie scoffed. "No one is keeping him hidden, he left. He ran from us - his family - and never looked back. He loved his precious dead human more then us."

Carlisle's head snapped up, the sound hitting the floor was loud and almost painful. But the fire in his eyes as his gaze met Rosalie's was venomous. The Anger was tangible and even Emmett shrank back from it. Jasper shook with the strong emotion, trying to make his own emotions stay calm. "If you ever speak like that again about anyone or to anyone I will take you out of your miserable existence myself. You hate the humans but you would kill to be one. You make me regret turning you. You make me regret thinking that Edward could love a vial conceded creature like you." He growled.

Rosalie looked like she was struck, and Carlisle continued, "Your lucky you found Emmett because once anyone got past your looks and saw the ugliness that you keep behind it, no one could love you." Esme reached up and placed her hand on his forearm, her eyes pleading with him to calm down. I had never seen him like this. He had a love of all life and for him, even to threaten to end Rosalie, it was inconceivable.

Rosalie's mouth hung open, and when she closed it, I knew she would say nothing else today. I watched as her decisions changed within her mind. I watched as she thought of leaving us, running as she thought Edward had. But in the end, she had nowhere to go, and the truth was we all cared for her in a way that no one had or ever would. Even her parents had used her as a social ladder.

"Alice?" I hadn't realized that I was being talked to. I turned to Carlisle.

"Hum…"

"Do you know where he is?" He asked.

"No. I can't see him. It's weird, I can see his decisions but it's like he is stuck somewhere that even he can't see. Bella said that he led her to his room, but I only saw him telling her to find him." I thought for a minute. "I don't think that he left. I think he was taken." I concluded.

"How would someone take him? He would see their thoughts before they even got close enough." Jasper said. He was right, Edward would have known, but we all had become quite good at hiding our thoughts from him, and that was a thought.

"It had to be someone close to the family. Someone who knew how to hide from Edward." I said

We all sat in silence for a time. All consumed in our own thoughts. Edward would have never left us on his own. For a while, after Marie, he considered going to Volterra but he couldn't honestly leave to become a killer. After his rebellious stage he vowed to not kill unless in self defense.

Carlisle sighed and looked at each of us, "Well, I think that is all for today. Alice keep an eye on Bella. Is she still coming tomorrow?"

"As far as I can see, she still is, but she hasn't gotten that far in the Journals. I'll let you know if anything changes." We all got up from that table and moved to our perspective spaces. I passed the grandfather clock in the foyer and it was just passed two in the afternoon.

Bella had just finished up reading about Rosalie and Emmett's transformation and she knew what we were. Now she was coming to the part with the entrance of Marie. This was going to be the hard part.

I sat in my bedroom in a guru position just watching Bella through her decisions. She was taking it all in stride, well almost. There was a point that she had too put the books down and thing. It reminded me of Marie and the day that she found out that we were vampires. The day that Edward first told Marie how he felt for her. The day that Marie told him that even though they could not be lovers they could be friends.

_Fifty-six years ago_

"_Damn it Edward! You have to understand what I'm saying. I understand that you love me, but I can't honestly love you back. I mean, I do love you, but not that way. Please don't force this." Marie begged._

_Edward sat on the couch in his room with his head in his hands. He had listened to her rant and, in truth, he was broken hearted. He had never felt anything for anyone to the capacity that he felt for Marie. This was tearing him apart. "Marie, please understand what I'm trying to tell you, I can't…" But she cut him off._

"_Edward if you can't accept this then I'm going to go and save us both some pain and anguish." She told him with her hands on her hips. Edward knew why she felt this way. She was scared, and it was good that she was. We had found out that Marie was Edward's singer. He couldn't read her thoughts and her blood called out to him and that was ultimately her down fall._

_Edward sighed, got up and stood next to her taking her into his arms. "I will be here for you in any capacity that you need." He relented. In his mind I'm sure he thought that was best. It was a way to keep her close without hurting her._

_Marie leaned into his chest. "Thank you Edward. Thank you." She never truly wanted to leave and his agreement made it all better. She could stay close to him and not have to be afraid anymore. Little did she know._

Present

All I could hope was that Bella was different than Marie in one way. I hoped that the there was only one singer in any one lifetime, because if not, then Bella could be doomed to the same fate.

**BPOV**

_Vampire._

"Vampire" I said out loud just to test the thoughts that pinged in my brain. Did I doubt it? No, I didn't. I wasn't sure why, but it explained so much, the eyes, the grace, the beauty. I knew that they were different and I wasn't sure why no one else saw it.

"_Are you scared?"_ The voice called out around me. At this point and time, I knew who my dream voice was.

I got up and made my way to the mirror in my study, "Hell yeah I'm scared!" I told my reflection. "You come into my dreams with your sexy voice and lead me to a hidden room, and guess what - It scares the hell out of me. Then you molest me in my dream and don't think I didn't like it, but damn Edward, what the fuck?"

I felt a chuckle wrap around me like a velvet blanket, making me calm and slowing my heart rate. "Sure, laugh it up. Here I am on the edge of my sanity - I thought I was insane Edward! I thought that I was loosing my mind and you watched as everything happened, and now you _laugh? _FUCK!"

I threw my hand into my hair trying to hold my head on, it felt like it was going to explode with all the information that it was trying to process at one time. Edward and the Cullens were vampires and I had to wrap my brain around this first. Now I knew what Alice meant about questions and answers. I swear I was going to kick her ass, this was huge. I had no one that I could talk to about this. Who would believe me anyway?

I took a cleansing breath and looked back into the mirror. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward, but when I tried to look directly at him he disappeared. "Was that you?" I asked.

"_Yes." _He voice said.

"Fine, okay. Let's play a game. I need a break. Can you hear me every where in the house?"

"_Yes"_ he said again. _"Mirrors" _He said.

"Okay any where there are mirrors you can be, right?"

"_Yes"_

"Okay I'm starved so let's go to the kitchen. Oh and Edward?" I called as an after thought. "Thanks for not looking in on me in the bathrooms." A chuckle followed me out of the room.

I sat in the kitchen eating and talking to Edward. Well sort of. I learn quickly that Edward couldn't answer anything harder then yes and no questions. I could tell that this fact frustrated him, and to tell the truth it did me as well. I mean I had just come to terms of some of what was going on and now I couldn't even get the answers I needed. Plus there was the fact that I didn't know what questions to ask.

And then there was the fact that it seemed that he was getting farther away. Almost like communicating was tiring to him. After finishing my food and cleaning up, I realized that his answers were getting quieter, and the only things that I had asked him about were the last five years when the dreams had started. Not much learned there. I know I could have used my time more wisely, but I didn't know I was on a time limit. "Edward, are you getting tired?" I asked. He hadn't answered my last question about his feeding habits and I was getting concerned.

"_Yes"_ he sounded so far away, like he was outside of the house. "_Later" _He whispered, and knew he was leaving. When he was gone I felt it. There was a layer of emptiness that stretched through the room the very instant that he left. It was weird. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him. It was like my body craved him and it wasn't even physical.

With that thought I remembered the dream sequence with him. Okay so it wasn't always physical, but his affirmations to my thoughts and feelings were comforting, like he knew me and could tell what I needed at that particular moment.

Which wasn't too far from the truth. Edward could read my thoughts, he could also do things that he had not been able to do before. He could project his thoughts to me, and just me. But something held him back. Something held him from out and out talking to me. His answers were cryptic to say the least, and for some reason I knew he wouldn't want it to be that way.

I sighed and made my way back up the stairs. When I went to my room I grabbed another Journal and was going back to my study when I had a better idea. I grabbed the chair in my room and moved it in front of my full length mirror. I wanted to be where Edward could see me, I also wanted to be where I could get closer to him.

There was closeness there, a bond that I knew was there but the feeling of it getting stronger drove me on ward. For some reason, this vampire had my attention. All of it. I could not stop till I found him. I would not stop till I found him. I needed to free him, my trapped vampire. I would fight for him because nobody else could. Till my last breath if that's what it took.

That last thought took me by surprise, if it would kill me would I still fight? The question took me by surprise. A feeling came over me, a fear that the end was near. A feeling like I had fought this hard before and lost. But there was also a knowledge that it was okay that I had lost. That it was okay that I would die for Edward. I didn't know where it came from, but as I rubbed my hands over my face I brought away tears I hadn't realized that I had cried.

Through out the room sadness engulfed me and the tears came faster of my own accord. My body was racked with sobs that weren't my own and my body crumpled behind the chair that I had just moved. I felt guilty and desperate at the same time. I was lost and I needed to feel, and I knew that Edward's emotions were pouring through me. I knew that Edward felt these things and I felt for him.

"SHhhh" I needed to stop him, I needed to stop this. "Edward it will be okay, I will help you, please stop. You're killing me." I croaked. "Please, Edward." I begged. But the emotions came harder and faster. I couldn't breath, there was so much pain and only half of it was mine. I was losing myself and there was no way that I could handle this.

What had happened to my vampire? Why was he so tortured? The guilt hit me again and I slumped further to the floor, taking shallow breaths, holding to the roots of my hair trying to hold myself together. The sobs were louder and I was sure that all could hear, but they intensified, he couldn't stop and neither could I. We were spiraling with no end in sight, Edward and I.

I screamed out, wanting nothing else in the world but for this to go away. It seemed that every time that I cried out his emotions were more powerful, like the anguish that he cause me made him more remorseful. What could I do to make him better when I couldn't even tell him to stop?

"Edward, please." But I wasn't even sure that I had said it. So instead I did the one thing that I knew I needed to do. "Alice, help me." I shook.

At that moment Alice and Jasper burst into my room.

"Jasper!" Alice called to him.

Jasper looked like he was in pain like someone had stabbed him. "Jasper, help her." Alice demanded.

"It's not her." He said through clench teeth. "I feel… Edward."

"Get her Jasper hold her." Alice yelled

Jasper made his way over to me actually leaning on my desk as if knocked over by invisible hand. He grabbed hold of me and we both cried out as the emotion tripled. "ALICE!" He yelled, in a strangled voice. "HELP ME!"

Alice ran to us and wrapped her tiny arms around use. Both of them were like iron vices holding me and in essence Edward to the ground. I felt like my emotions were fighting with themselves. I felt like the agony fought the need to be calm, with neither of them winning.

"Edward…" Jasper called. "Let go Edward, it wasn't your fault. Help me please. Bella can't take this." But the hurt and guilt just built.

"Edward we know you didn't mean to. EDWARD!" Jasper screamed and in turn Alice and I screamed as well.

My poor vampire, how long had he harbored these feelings? How long had he gone unchecked? How long had he waited for someone, anyone to feel what he was feeling? The loss, the torment, the pain, and the guilt that built up for so long, was finally bubbling over and I was going to be a vegetable after it all ended, if some one didn't help me.

Jasper was trying to reason with Edward. "Edward she's back you can't do this to her. You can't. You need her just as much as she needed you. You failed no one." He called to the thin air.

I began clawing at my own chest. It was like if I could just get my heart out then it would all stop. If I couldn't feel, then it would all stop. Alice saw what I was trying to do and grabbed both my hands in hers.

"NOOOO! Don't stop me Alice, I needed this to stop." I lamented.

"I know, Bella, I know." And that was the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness.


	9. Cullens

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. But I do own the plot.**

**And we have a winner, Cullengirl255, has won my review contest. You my girl have tickets to an all inclusive show at the Cullen Cuddly Zoo. The show includes a monkey show and the main event is a very excited Emmett. I'm sure you can figure out how to keep him excited in his natural habitat. Enjoy. Thanks for your support and Reviews.**

**So here it is chapter 9.**

**Chapter Nine: Cullens**

_The streamers were perfectly placed in gold, silver and black. I didn't ever remember the gym being so lovely. The balloons were placed in arches all around and the lighting was romantic. I couldn't help but think that even though I would never tell Edward how I felt, this was the place I wanted to be, and I was here with the person that I wanted to be with._

_We walked into the gym and I felt all eyes on us. I was in my emerald green dress that barely skirted the floor and he was in his black tux with emerald green vest and tie. We matched perfectly, and even through my fear of what he was, I couldn't help think that we fit together like hand and glove. I felt proud to have the most beautiful creature on my arm with the knowledge that he wanted to be there. _

_We walked up to the picture booth and I looked up into his golden eyes. They were different tonight. They smoldered brighter then I had ever seen them, perfect glowing orbs of light. A beacon guiding my heart to his heart, telling me that anything was possible if I just said the words. But I wouldn't, I couldn't, I didn't want to die, and the life that he led was not a life. When he said he was a monster I believed him._

_I was so caught up in my thoughts and looking at him that I didn't notice the picture being snapped. I'm sure that to the person looking at the picture Edward and I looked the epitome of two people in love. The truth that they would never know lay just underneath the surface. Edward the vampire and me the human that he lusted after in blood and body, with death looming just off screen. _

_We walked onto the dance floor and twirled and danced for most of the night. Everything just disappeared, we didn't even speak often just enjoying the night in a perfect moment that would last me the rest of my life. For him it would last the rest of eternity. We smiled and danced just like in the movies, we held hands, and embraced, but in the back of my mind I thought about his words of how my blood sang to him. I wondered if he was thinking about it even now as we made our way to the stage for the announcement for Prom Queen. _

"_And here it is folks, what we've all been waiting for." The class president said. He was holding a jeweled envelope. I hadn't even realized that I had been holding my breath until my lungs burned for oxygen, and I sucked in a huge mouth full of air. I looked over at the stone of a man that stood next to me and I knew that he felt my heart racing like it was trying to break out of my chest. He wore a reassuring smile on his face and I was somewhat calmer. _

"_This years Prom Queen is…" Again I was holding my breath, "Marie Summers." At first I wasn't sure what was said. I was vaguely aware that I was spinning around in circles while cold hands lifted me off the ground. I felt numb, not because of said hands but because I was sure that I had won the crown, and I was waiting for the dream to end. But it never did, I was the Prom Queen and Edward was pushing me to the stairs on the stage._

_When they placed the crown on my head and handed me the large arrangement of flowers, all I could do was scan the crowd for Edward. When I found him he was standing alone from the crowd with eyes only for me. He watched as I stood there next to the person who was crowned King, and to tell you the truth I didn't even know who the King was, because I only had eyes for Edward. _

_In that monument I made up my mind. When we got home I would swallow my fear, and I would tell him. I wasn't ready to be part of his world, I don't think I ever would be, but I needed to tell him that I loved him. He had to know that my heart beat for him and him alone. _

I could feel the darkness receding, and the veil lifting. I could hear voices all around me and some sounded concerned.

"Did you have to knock her out Alice?"

Alice? What was Alice doing in here? At that moment I realized that the last thing that I remembered was being in the kitchen at lunch time, trying to talk to Edward.

"Well it was that or she could have gone insane. She is human you know. Vampire emotions are too strong for her."

"Couldn't you just have taken her out of the house?" A different voice asked.

"Jasper was hurting too. It was like Bella was an antenna for all Edward's emotions. They were multiplied. I had to do something."

Emotions? Why did that sound familiar? Then it all came back. Edward's suffering. I could feel it. Worse then feel it, they controlled me, they ruled me, and there was no turning it off. I could feel him trying to help but the feelings just intensified.

"Okay, that's fine, but she's been out for three hours. Do you think that you over did it some?" It was a voice that sounded like Jasper.

"She needed to rest. She hasn't really been sleeping, all thanks to our wonderful brother."

I opened my eyes in time to see her shrug and Jasper shake his head. I was no longer in my room. In fact as I looked around I realized wasn't in my own house. The house that I was in was better furnished for one.

I looked at all the faces that surrounded me. All the Cullens in there glory and beauty looked on at me as if I would start screaming at any minute. I could have sworn that they took a step back when my eyes met theirs, like these strong vampires were afraid of me, a weak human.

I'm sure that the confusion showed on my face because Alice was the first to speak. "How are you feeling Bella?"

"Did I hear right? Did you hit me?" I asked.

Alice looked ashamed and apprehensive. Then she did something that surprised me, she smiled. "Yes." She said.

I guess at first she thought that I would be angry, but I wasn't. I was grateful. She had made a choice that I couldn't help but believe had saved me sanity, if not my life. "Thank you." I said nodding.

I took in the faces that watched me and was amused to see their surprise flash across their faces. "You're not mad?" Jasper asked.

"No, why would I be?" Jasper looked at me as if I had grown another head. But before I got a chance to question it Carlisle was at my side. In fact he was there so fast I jumped at the sight of him. I knew that he was on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry." He said. It was like he hadn't realized what he had done. "Um, do you know what day it is Bella?"

"Saturday, I think." I looked around and noticed that it was dark out side. "Or early Sunday."

He nodded his head and pulled out a pin light shining it into my eyes. "And do you remember what happened?"

I looked around the room and with all eyes on me I felt a blush move up to my cheeks. Could I really tell them what had happened? Could I really bring up the painful memory of their lost family member? Looking at them I knew that I had too. I knew that they needed to know that I had a secret just like them and their secret was safe with me. "Edward." Was all I said, but it was enough. They all looked on for explanations, but the truth was that I didn't have any. I had more questions then I had answers.

A kind looking woman stepped forward looking nervous. She had caramel hair just like in the picture that I had seen. I knew right away it was Esme, the mother figure that Edward had spoken about in his journals. You could feel the warmth that he mentioned in her gaze and the love that she had even if she had just met me.

"Bella dear, are you hungry or tired?" She asked.

I thought about it. It seemed like I had just eaten, but my stomach told me different. I listened to my stomach growl and was instantly embarrassed. "Um, from all that I've learned you don't necessarily eat… food… I mean… human…" Did I just say human? I hoped that they didn't think that I was offering them a human sacrifice or something like that. I felt another traitor blush creep into my face.

I was relived and confused when most of them started laughing. It was an easy and natural sound, other then it sounded like different bells ringing in a beautiful chorus. I couldn't help but to grin at them. "Yes, well humans aside, we can order a mean take-out." Emmett said. He had a boyish grin on his face. It made him look so young and if I didn't know that he was over seventy years old I would have thought him younger than his portrayed age.

"Thank you Emmett that would be nice." I scanned the room again. There was one person that had yet to speak to me. When my eyes landed on her she was sitting in the corner looking at her perfectly manicured nails indifferently. It was like Rosalie was trying to ignore me, which struck me odd because she was so nice to me the first day that she met me.

"Hello Rosalie." I said to her. She looked up and glared at me, looking very menacing, and then she went back to her nails. That was weird. What the hell had I done to her? I'd only seen her once. I looked down at my hands trying to figure out what I was feeling. Was I scared? Hell no, which was stupid just in itself, she was a vampire, I should be scared. Was I mad, hell yeah I was mad. I had been through a lot today and I was not going to stand putting up with some undead diva's bullshit.

So I did the only thing that I could… I snorted in laughter. Her head snapped up in shock and venomous anger. "What the hell are you laughing at?" She spat.

"You," I said and laughed harder. I was aware that the whole family had looks of shock and worry on their faces. "You sit there and think that your indifference is going to bother me. Well let me tell you something Blondie, I don't have time for your bullshit. Truth is I could go all of eternity and not give you the time of day. Which would hurt you more then it would hurt me, since you thrive on attention. Personally, I would rather not be in the lime light. So do us both a favor and GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELF!" I yelled the last part.

In an instant she was standing and growling. I too shot up to my feet, trying to fight off the dizziness that struck my head. It wouldn't be so bad ass if I passed out right now. "Do you know that I could kill you with a flick of my pinky?" She snarled.

I laughed again, "Did you know I could kill you with a strike of a match?" I countered. "And I'm sure with all the beauty care essentials that you don't even need you would be more combustible than the average vampire."

Emmett was at her side in an instant. He had a look of apology and awe. He grabbed Rosalie's arm and they were gone, leaving Rosalie's snarls in the background.

"What the hell is her problem?" I asked. I was hungry, wired, and tired, and she had added pissed to the mix. The family were still standing there with astonishment on there faces. "What, should I have been scared? She might not be human, but a bitch is a bitch no matter what species. Can I still get that take-out, or should I go?"

After eating I was in a better mood. I guess hunger gets the best of you. I sat in the large Cullen kitchen with Alice and Jasper. We really hadn't talked about much, and for that I was glad. I don't think that I was ready to deal with all the extra fluff that came with the Cullens. I knew that at some point we had to talk about Edward and everything that had happened over the last few years, but being here with them I wanted to finish my reading before we started.

"I don't think that you should go back to your house tonight." Jasper said shaking his head. I had just finished telling him that I needed to finish reading Edward's journals.

"He's right Bella. Edward is sure to be feeling bad about what happened. I think that it would just be throwing flame on the fire. Maybe you should stay here tonight. You can go back tomorrow." She looked at me sheepishly, like she expected me to protest, to cower in a corner in fear of my life, but again I surprised her.

"Okay, but I need the journals and a quiet place to read." I told her. I didn't miss the exchange between Jasper and Alice. The looks were getting to be too much. "What is it? Why is it every time I do something you guys look like I have three breasts, or I'm prancing around in 'Hello Kitty' underwear?"

They both giggled at the visual. "Well 'Hello Kitty' aside you just never do what we expect." Jasper said. I guess that was as good an answer as I was going to get. I nodded in response.

"Well can I get what I asked for?" As if she pulled them out of thin air the last two journals were placed in front of me. "Vision?' I asked.

"Vision." She acknowledged. I was going to love Alice and Jasper. They were like kindred spirits. I could tell that they cared for me too. It was like I had known them all my life instead of two weeks. It was a warm and fuzzy kind of feeling, all over.

I ended up in a spare bedroom that was fully furnished. I had to giggle to myself because there was a bed and everything. Why would beings that never slept have a bed? When the answer came to me I blushed furiously. God how dense was I? They were vampires, not monks.

I situated the pillows on the bed against the headboard and curled up. I pulled the two journals up to where I could get them easily and opened the first one. I had already read about the family and now I hoped to get more insight into his everyday life.

_August 1955_

_We just returned to Alaska to visit the Denali coven about two months ago. I don't think that I have voiced just how much I hate to come here. The members of the family are nice enough but their minds are vaguer to say the least. But they live their lives like us, having compassion for human life, and maintain our strict diet. _

_The three sisters, who like my siblings and I are of no relation, consider themselves to be succubae. Our course, they all have the power of sexual persuasion. But the prospects are lost on me. The only thing that sexual persuasion is good for is to con unsuspecting being into what Emmett refers to as 'Naked Happy Time'. I have no desire to participate in this sort of recreation so there powers are without merit. But that doesn't stop the one from trying._

_Two of the three were perfectly content with leaving me alone and being with the humans of the small towns that are not far from where they live. That in itself sickens me, but I leave it alone because that is their lifestyle. But the third, Tanya, has no qualms about chasing me or trying to persuade me without shame. 'No' is just not a word in her vocabulary, especially when it comes to me. Me being the gentleman that I am I have yet to grab hold of her and shake the shit out of her, but it has crossed my mind. She is what in my day was the epitome of a whore, damaged beyond repair and never to find social standing unless it was on her back for money. I might be harsh be I'm also mentally tired. _

_Carlisle wants me to give it a shot. HE wants happiness for me. I see it in his thoughts. He feels like I need someone in my life to be fulfilled. He felt like his life before Esme was incomplete, and I can understand that, but these constant attempts to find me a mate are getting redundant, to say the least. First with Rosalie now Tanya, but he assures me that if this doesn't work out then he will leave me be. He just begs that I give it an honest chance._

_What he doesn't know are the vile thoughts that flow through this creature's head. There are no thoughts of conversation or even possible romance, it's all domination. She doesn't want a mate, she wants a puppet, and being thwarted in her constant advances only makes her think that the conquest will be sweeter. _

_What's worse is she uses my ability against me. No matter where we are, she thinks of the most vivid sexual excursions that she can, and projects them to me. She places me and herself in those fantasies, which has the opposite effect on me. I spend a great deal of time cringing, and for a creature that can't sleep there is no escape for me._

_Constantly she corners me and places me in compromising positions. The most recent was when I was bathing. She entered the bathroom with a set of extra keys and actually got into the tub with me. I was stuck calling for my father's help like the eternal teenager I am. She just grinned and moved closer as I cringed against the side of the tub hoping for rescue, totally embarrassed at my nude state._

_After I was finally rescued and thoroughly made fun of by Emmett, I put my foot down. I wanted to leave. I needed to leave and I was willing to go by myself if need be. Rosalie was angry, as is normal for her, but my father agreed. Jasper was relieved because the lust that flowed through the Denali home was driving him mad. And I thought that _my_ gift was a curse, I might know what people are thinking but having to share the emotions of everyone around me was worse by quite a bit._

_We are leaving back to Forks, in the morning. I never realized how much I liked Forks until deciding to go there again. Of course, we would be in High School again but compared to Tanya, I can deal with high school girls (and sometimes boys) with little trouble. But as we pulled away from the house there was a darkness in Tonya's thoughts. Something that sent a chill through my already chilled bones, a darkness that no light could reach. She would have me if it took forever, and forever it would, I would never willingly be with her. But somehow I knew that she would go to the end of time to try. And to tell you the truth I was a little scared, and I can admit it._

I finished reading the rest of the entry but the beginning was what got me. Tanya. Okay, I was a realist that had just become hip to the existence of vampires. I couldn't put it passed anything anymore and something told me that my father was dating a sexaholic vampire who doesn't take no for an answer. The question was why.

My father wasn't a bad looking man; in fact he was hot for being… well, you know… my dad. But if she was a vampire then why was she dating my father, a human? From what Edward had said, she and her sisters were of a love 'em and leave 'em mentality. So why was she settled? And compared to Edward, my father was just an average Joe with nothing to offer. I was confused, and added another thing to ask after my studies.

Plus I had failed to make the connection to the similarities in the was Tonya and the Cullens looked. Somehow I knew that I wasn't the only one. My father had been dating a vampire for a long while and he hadn't made the connection. Not to mention that from my research I had learned that the Cullens had been back and forth to Forks for the last hundred years and nobody questioned it. Why in the hell did I have to be so over observant?

Then there was the way she had showed up and acted the night I found Edward's room. I thought about the way I felt when she was around, and the need that I had felt to lie to her at all costs that night. Not to mention the night I heard her talking to no one in my father's study. What the hell was really going on? This was something that I really had to tell the Cullens tomorrow. They had to know that Tonya was here, right? I mean don't you just sense that kind of stuff when you're a super cool vampire? If they had they said nothing about it.

When I looked at the clock it was nearing midnight and I was so tired. It really had been a very long day. More than that, I wanted to be close to Edward. I became aware while I was reading that anything that I could do to have him close I would do. From studying his journals, to speaking with him in the house, to dreaming messed up dreams just to see him. I was sprung, but my feelings were mixed. I wasn't sure of what I felt, it was almost like he was an enigma, or a new toy, and I just wanted to figure out how he worked.

As I closed my eyes and slipped into oblivion, I hoped he would visit me. I needed him to visit me. But maybe I could get the answers I needed from him in my dream state. Of course if the dream turned out like the wet dream I had before… well then I would talk to Alice in the morning, because there was no way that I was going to stop that for shit. Real or not that shit felt great. Bring on the fake orgasms. 

**A/N: This chapter is also written in memory of Daddy's Little Cannibal. You will be missed but your imagination lives on in you written words. **


	10. Not the Bella we Knew

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. But I do own the plot.**

**Hello all, I'm so sorry that I haven't updated lately but I was having some trouble with my other story so that took a lot of time. I know that you all understand, saying as most of you guys are reading my other stories. But back to this one. By the way I have tons of alerts and favorites so remember to Read and Review so that I know how I'm doing.**

**Here it is Chapter 10.**

**Chapter Ten: Not the Bella we knew**

**RPOV**

"Emmet put me down this instant!" I growled at him.

He had carried me for twenty minutes into the forest at full speed. For a vampire, I could only guess that we were on the other side of Canada. I looked around and took in a deep breath, smelling the new trees that surrounded us. Yeah we were defiantly in Canada. Canada like most countries had its own smell. It wasn't good or bad just different.

To tell the truth I like Canada. The crime rate was very low, and people were very accommodating. They didn't look at you different they just accepted you. I was always very comfortable here. In fact Emmett and I had spent a lot of time here over the years. The cool weather as an excuse for our cold skin, the outdoors and sprawling spaces that allowed for great hunts every time. Plus the lack of people wanting to go on a witch hunt for vampires or anything else that was different. Here I never felt persecuted, and even though we all still hide what we were, it almost was like we didn't have to.

"Sorry, Rosie, but I had to make sure you weren't going to go back and kill the human." He grinned at me and flashed his dimples, that he knew I had trouble resisting.

I took a big breath and sighed, "I'm not going to go anywhere." I lowered myself on to a boulder that was half buried in the ground. "Emmett, why is everyone attacking me?" I asked. "First Carlisle then Bella, and nobody stuck up for me."

The silence was heavy. I looked over to see Emmet digging in the forest floor with the toe of his shoes. I think he felt my gaze because he lifted his face to me and I was drawn into those golden pools of my husband's eyes. The look that he was giving me was sad and cautious. I knew that he didn't want to answer. "What you think that they are right?" I asked. I was floored. Even my husband, my mate thought that I was awful.

"No Rosie, I don't think that they should have threatened you but…" He trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence. He was looking at anything that could hold his attention but me.

"Emmett?" I made his name a question. He was thinking something and he thought it was going to upset me. Well, I had news for him; not telling me was going to upset me. I could feel the frown on my face and even I knew it was deep.

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and in an instant he was crouched in front of me rubbing the furrows off of my forehead. "Stop that babe, I'll tell you." He said. "Look, with Carlisle you were being very bitchy. I know that you thought that Edward ran off but you know what a touchy subject it is for him. Sometime you let yourself forget that people have feelings, and then you let your mouth walk all over everyone else. That's disrespectful. You didn't just hurt him but you hurt everyone."

I opened my mouth to defend myself but Emmet put his fingers to my lips, "I'm not telling you to stop saying what you think. I'm saying that you need to say it in a way that is mindful of others." He lowered his hand from my mouth and waited for me to say something, but I had nothing. Then something occurred to me.

"And Bella? She threatened to kill me." I said.

Before he answered I knew what he was going to say, "You threatened her first. I think that the only reason that it hit you so hard was because she stood up to you. I think that you have gotten so used to people giving you what you want that you have forgotten what it is like to not get your way. Bella has no reason to bow to your whim, and from today's display I don't think that she will. Rosie I love you, but you didn't exactly welcome her with open arms."

"And why would I? The last human that we tried to welcome with open arms got herself killed and we lost a brother because of it. Pardon me for being cautious." I spat at him.

"There's cautious and then there is bitchy, and you were being bitchy." He was getting mad now and that was rare. Emmett was never mad at me and I really didn't know how I felt about it, so I just sat and listened to him. "I mean, when we met her at school I thought that you might give her a chance. You were nice and polite. Now, who knows anymore?" He shrugged mostly at himself. "I'm going to go but I think that you have to spend some time here and think about the things that you have done this weekend. I love you and I would follow you to the ends of the earth, but the rest of the family is tired and if they want, they could vote us off the island. I don't want to live without you, but I don't want to live without them either. You know how important family is to me. So I think you should try, if not for them do it for me. But think about someone other than yourself."

Again I opened my mouth to defend myself but he was gone. For the fist time in so many years Emmett ran from me, and I was alone. I had never been alone. Before my transformation I had my biological family and after I had the Cullens, but now I felt utterly and truly alone. No one understood me and no one was on my side. But that begged the question, should they be?

As I sat there I thought of Emmett, my big bear. He was always so goofy and fun loving. He was open to anything and everything, but ever he was angry at me. I got mad at him all the time and he would grovel and beg forgiveness but this was first time that he stood on the other side of the line.

I could feel the sob trying to come up my throat. I could feel the anger and the loss. And I knew who I was mad at. Bella.

The last time I met her (the time before the day at school) she was different. I had to change then to help Edward keep her close. To her face I was quiet and tried to include her, but behind her back I was angry.

Edward pined after her for so long, and all he needed was a nugget of affection, he would have been happy with that. But she held it back. He was never good enough for her. She dated other people and flaunted her men around him knowing how he felt for her.

What made it worse was the fact that when she was down or broken hearted she ran to him. Calling him he best friend and letting him comfort her. She would crawl into his lap in tears and snot and spill all her dirt laundry to him and he would listen. Shit, we all would listen, and we would shake our heads. But not Edward, any type of relationship that she needed he would fill it.

I had hope at first that my brother would be happy when he decided to tell her that he loved her. We all did. Edward deserved love. He was one of the building stones of the family and he always did what was right, never taking anything for himself, never asking for help. He was as strong as Carlisle. But the one time he did ask for something, the one time that he poured his heart out, she stomped on it.

That's when I gave up on her. That's when I decided that she wasn't good enough for us, not just for Edward but for the people that I had come to call family. Edward couldn't see it of course no matter who told him, but the fact that we walked on eggshells around her even though she knew what we were was wrong.

I sat on the log and watched the sun rise and fall twice still thinking about this human that had put me against my family. When I had threatened her she didn't back down. When I told her that I could kill her she shot back, not even taking a breath. There was no pause, no internal fear that should have flashed into her eyes. She stood her ground in a room full of vampires and didn't flinch. She threatened to light me up like a roman candle, and somehow I knew that she would do it. But would I have killed her?

No… I wouldn't have and I think that she knew that. She had called my bluff and won. I wanted fear and all she gave me was strength. I wanted her to grovel and she took my bluff and gave me anger. In effect she won the battle of wills by breaking my uncaring façade and drawing out the fact that she scared the hell out of me with her knowledge.

And her knowledge was huge. She knew us. She knew what we were and held no terror. I could respect that, no matter how stupid it was. But still there was something in her that told me that maybe I was wrong to hate her right off.

But something more bothered me. Edward. I had spent the last fifty years hating Edward for him leaving. I even attempted to take his place. Learning to play piano and trying to have long discussions with Carlisle. Learning to play chess and helping Esme in the garden. But there was no replacement. I was a cheap imitation, and I hated all the pain that went through their eyes as I tried.

When I played the piano, everyone left, when for Edward they would gather to listen. When I spoke with Carlisle, I had trouble keeping up. Not that I was stupid but the things that he was interested in had held little interest for me. I lost at Chess often and Esme, for as nice as she was, didn't want me in the garden.

I sobbed at the pain that my family had, and I cried because I didn't want to fill the void. I wanted Edward back. We fought often, but he was the one that helped me to integrate myself into this curse of a life. He held my hand and taught me and for that I was grateful. I missed him.

For years I had looked for him. Every place we had ever lived, every place that he had ever spoken about going, I looked. I tried private detectives and our contacts within the vampire community. I follow every lead that I came up with, and came up short.

Until Bella had found Edward's room in the old house. Somehow we had all forgotten. We knew that he was part of the family; we knew that he was gone, but none of us even thought about his things. Where he stayed. He was part of the family and none of us even thought about the fact that he had to have his own space, with things to go in that space. How could we forget that?

But somehow Edward had reached out to Bella. She had done what none of us remembered to do. She had found what we forgot, and the fact that we forgot was troublesome in itself.

It was then that I came to a conclusion. Three days of sitting in the same spot I knew three things. One, I had a new found respect for Bella, no matter what she was just as tenacious as me. Two, Edward had not run away and I could work with Bella to find him. And three Bella was not the Marie that we had known, and that made it easier to accept her, from my end anyway.

**JPOV**

I stood in the hallway outside of the guest bedroom. Bella had just fallen asleep and her emotions were comfortable. This girl was a mystery and I could feel the confusion rolling off of the family. Bella was an anomaly.

Today when Alice had her vision of Bella dying in her bedroom, I was confused. Why were we going there to save a human? Especially a human that pretty much told us many years ago that she could have lived her whole life without knowing that we existed. But Alice was adamant that we needed to save her.

As we made our way to the house I used my abilities to feel for the unknown assailant but all I felt was Alice's anticipation. But there was more, Alice was excited, and that confused me. As we got to the house I looked at it and remembered the home that it was for so many years before the accident. Before I was forced to flee the sadness and guilt that threatened to drive me to insanity, and I never looked back from that day.

When I met up with my family they were in Alaska, and Edward was missing. There was no sign of him, and still the sadness was there, but I stuck it out trying to lessen the load and provide as much calm I could to help the family get through all that they lost. But I never thought that Edward had just left without saying anything. So I had Alice looking for him.

As I crossed into the yard with Alice by side it felt like and invisible veil lifted and I felt all that past guilt all over again, but what was worse I felt confusion. Bella's confusion. When we ran up the stairs to her room, she was on the floor shrieking and calling to… Edward.

_Edward, its okay, _she kept saying over and over, and I knew what she was taking about. I could feel him; he was all over the house in all his agony. Being hit with all the strong emotions in the house was like getting hit in the gut over and over. No matter how I tried to calm him I couldn't, because I couldn't see him, or visualize him. His emotions were palpable but he wasn't and there was nothing to send calming waves to. So Bella and I were spiraling out of control and Bella was going to burn out. So Alice did what she had to do to save us both. God I loved that pixie.

I made my way down to Alice's and my room. We needed to talk, about everything that had happened today. But when I opened the door I was shocked into silence.

Alice was in the middle of the room with her ear buds in and her iPod on full blast. She was listening to eighties rock music dancing. It was like the day hadn't happened. I stood in the door frame and watch her move around the room looking very fluid and beautiful. She was perfect. I loved her.

"Evenin' Darlin'." I said. Alice looked up and looked at me sheepishly like she didn't know that I was there, but there was no surprising Alice so she knew that I was there.

"Well, let's get this over with." She sighed and lowered herself on the bed.

I walked over to her; we had a lot to go over and just till sunrise to get it done. Bella was different and I knew that Alice knew why. We all needed answers and she was the only one who could give them.

The reason? Tomorrow I was going to talk to Edward, and hopefully I would be able to help Bella find him, and save him.


	11. Metting Marie

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Here guys it's time for the next leg in our contest. For my one hundredth review someone will get a visit from the Cuddly Cullen Zoo, so remember to hit that button and let me know what you think. And for all you guys that have anonymous accounts, I love your reviews but I am unable to reply, so I just wanted to take the time out and thank you all personally. **

**Chapter 11, for your reading pleasure.**

**Chapter Eleven: Meeting Marie**

_November 1956_

_Today I met the demon and I won. Not by much though. In order to fully this demon I must go back a little ways. In September of last year We reopened the house. As I had said in my last entry the problems that I was having with a particular Denali sister was driving me insane and I wanted to come back to Forks. After some checking and Alice's intuition we found out that we couldn't return to Forks for risk of being found out. There was one person in particular that lived there at the ripe old age of sixty-eight who would recognize us. So we made arrangements to go to England and live there._

_This change of events didn't bother me because for one the schools there were of excellent caliber and Carlisle was excited to be able to return to his home land for a stint. Jasper had never been abroad and he too was enamored with being in another country._

_Rosalie and Emmett had been staying in the family house in southern Canada. They were playing house as it were and Rosalie really did love it there. I have never heard her mind so at ease anywhere else. Rosalie fears that she might be found out. Our play at being human meant much more to her because she never chose this life and, to tell the truth, I would have never chosen it for her. But it was nice to see her happy for once and not resentful. In that place she shared her love more easily and complained less. _

_At the last possible moment, fate stepped in and the old timer in Forks made a decision that ended his life. Alice was shocked, and to this day she will not talk about it. When she thinks about it I think she hides her thoughts from me. Whatever it was, it was pretty tragic even for a vampire. All she says is that he made his decision. I think that she might have known the man. _

_Anyway our plans had been made and we moved to Forks. This also pleased Carlisle because Forks had a clinic and it was in need of doctors. He always loved small town hospitals. The care that he could provide was extraordinary and the people always grateful (not that he asked) and he just loved his work. After all, a small town hospital was were he met Esme all those years ago, first when she was sixteen and then when she tried to commit suicide._

_Jasper and Alice loved Forks for a totally different reason. Alice loved it because it was the place that her life really started. She still had no memories of her human life and everything was new to her. But in Forks she felt that she could make friends. Even though that was impossible, I appeased her and let her think that she could, but our secret was to great to jeopardize for a human friend. Jasper loved it because of the fact that the house sat right on the edge of town. He still suffered from his impossible bloodlust and the distance from town help with that. He could work on the bloodlust with out truly putting anyone in danger. If he got to the point that he felt he was going to lose it the house was a safe haven for him. _

_About a month after we arrived Emmett and Rosalie joined us. They missed us, well Emmett missed us. He was from a large human family and never felt quite right without being surrounded by a lot of people that he loved and cared for. Rosalie on the other hand came back because of Emmett. Plus there was the fact that it was time for them to move along, age and time are never on a vampire's side. You have a lot of it but never have enough to stay in one place long enough. She was sad and remorseful and for the first few weeks she stayed in her room in a depression that she always went through. _

_To have a semi normal life we all enrolled at Forks High School, Alice and I were sophomores and Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were juniors. This time Alice, Emmett and I were Esme's niece and nephews, Jasper and Rosalie were twins that Carlisle and Esme adopted after their parent's deaths about eight years ago. A cover story is always good to have when you were starting a new (well old for us) school. People tended to ask a lot of questions. But school was the bane of my existence. _

_I was not only bombarded by the unwelcomed advancements of females but to my continual shock and horror their imaginations were vivid and detailed of all the things that they wanted to do to me. It was almost as bad as Tanya, almost. I gently pushed away the propositions and before long I was reading the minds of people who thought I was 'funny'. Not funny ha ha, but funny queer. I hated that but if it kept all the piranha away, I would endure it. _

_Of course Emmett thought it was a riot, and kept thinking of it anytime I was around. I don't know how many times I defended my sexuality but it made no difference so I started to just ignore him. I thought maybe he would let it go but he didn't and so I found myself once again being drawn in defending myself, and Emmett getting his jollies off of my discomfort. _

_The truth of the matter is I'm not homosexual. I have yet to find anyone worth my time and effort. I have morals and very high standards. I thought that Tanya was beautiful but her mind was empty. Again my curse of my ability stopping me, but I think that even if I couldn't read minds Tanya wouldn't hold my attention very long. _

_Anyway, a year passed and we held the ruse with little problem. Alice was hurt that she still couldn't find anyone that was worthy of calling friend, but over all we went unnoticed. _

_Which brings me back to my demon. This demon is not of the mythical sense, it is of a physical sense. Human for a better word, a girl to narrow it down a little, and she goes by the name of Marie Summers. A girl that became the hell on earth that I thought that I was already living in._

_The Summers have lived in Forks for about twelve years, moving here from Colorado. They wanted a quiet life for their daughter, who by the age of three displayed an exceptional learning ability. During the time that my family and I moved to Forks she was in an abroad school in France. She had been hand picked nationally to act as an ambassador of sorts for the United States. _

_This morning started as any other day with the mundane fantasies of me naked in various minds, but there was also a buzz going around. Marie was arriving back to school today and by all accounts she was loved by all. _

_The minds around me told me that she was charismatic, smart, caring, and understanding. She never looked down on anyone and was never arrogant or crass. To the people around me she was a ray of light in a dark tunnel. I wondered what it would be like to walk around in a mind of a person that people thought this highly of. I pushed it out of my mind as quickly as it entered. She was human, an exceptional human but a human nonetheless. There was no way I could get close enough to even debate with her. There was no way I would even want to. She was still after all a seventeen year old girl, no matter how smart she was. I figured that she would be like everyone else. _

_By lunch time my interest was peaked because of all the hype going on with everyone else. I figured I could just read her mind and revel in her thought process if she was that intelligent. As I walked into the cafeteria my throat burned with a little more intensity at first. This took me by surprise because I had a good hold of my thirst, not as good as Carlisle but I was better adapted then the rest of the family. I chalked it up to having not hunted in the last three weeks and moved through the line to collect my props for the next hour. Of course not looking at what was placed on my tray because it was revolving just to think about._

_I moved to the back corner where the rest of my family had already positioned themselves and sat in my normal seat to survey the thoughts of the children around me. I honed in on one person's thoughts, Rebecca Roles. She was sitting in front of a girl with long flowing brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. This girl I had never seen before so I assumed it was Marie. Her skin was pale, not as pale as mine or the family that surrounded me but more pale than the people that surrounded her. She was beautiful. But the thing that caught my attention more than the way she looked or the fact that Rebecca was talking about us was the fact that I couldn't hear her thoughts. She was totally silent to me. That unnerved me a lot. _

_I told Alice about this revelation and she was also confused. Just as I was about to ask Alice how that could be, she had a vision. From her mind I saw her and Marie walking arm and arm, the best of friends. If it weren't for Jasper holding her down Alice would have bounced right out of her seat onto the floor. _

_But there was something strange about the vision. It was of Marie but her hair was different and the way she stood was different. I couldn't pinpoint it but something was off about it. It was like it was Marie but she was different somehow._

_I put it out of my head when I looked up and noticed that Marie was staring at me. For a brief second our eyes locked and I couldn't help but to fall into the brown orbs. I felt something close to total contentment for a second and then she looked away. I'm not sure why but this is just how I felt. Shortly after that the bell rang and I went to my next pointless class. Biology._

_I was one the first people in class when I got there. I sat down at my table knowing that I wouldn't be bothered as I didn't have a lab partner. Humans might not know exactly what we are but something within them told them to stay away. It was a good deal for me because I really didn't want to be bothered. I sat quietly thinking of all the things that had happened at lunch. Was I really drawn to this girl, this human girl? What the hell could she have to offer me? Soon I got the answer to my questions._

_The class had started to fill and I heard the instructor that I cared less to know his name instruct someone over to my lab table. At that moment I realized that I had the only free seat in the room. I groaned inwardly at the prospect of having a partner that I would have to carry the entire year. _

_Three things happened at once. I looked up to see Marie standing beside me grinning. She went to say something but the stupid instructor opened the window behind her and a breeze carried her scent to me and it bombarded my senses. My body came alive with a drive; even as a newborn I never felt the thirst this strong. My hearing and vision narrowed in and the venom pooled painfully from the glands in the back of my throat. _

_Instantly something that I wasn't aware of told me to stop breathing. I grabbed hold of the end of my desk to anchor myself down to keep from launching myself at her. I could feel myself glaring at this child wanting nothing else then to writhe in her blood like a sensual chocolate from Switzerland._

_She was scared, the fear rolled off her in waves, but I didn't care. She shut her mouth thinking better of what she was going to say and sat down. I moved as far as I could get from her, still holding on for dear life. I felt the table top crumbling in my fists but I didn't dare let go for all the scenarios that were going through my mind. Different ways to kill her. How easy it would be to take out this entire classroom of people just to get to her life force. I visualized that I could talk her out into a wooded area and make her feel comfortable before taking her, a service as it were. But all of these were stopped by the thoughts of my father. _

_I sat there for the longest hour of my undead life. Marie using her hair as a shield to hide from my glare, daring to peek every so often. And about a second before the bell rang I sprinted for the door not caring if it was at human speed or not. I made my way outside and took in huge gulps of air trying to rid myself of her wonderful scent. After about four pulls of fresh air I was free and all I could smell were the trees around me._

_I went to a fallen brick on the ground and placed my car keys on the ground underneath it, knowing that Alice would see my decision and ran through the forest towards the hospital. I needed to see my father. If anyone could help me it was him._

_I found him in his office looking over charts. When I burst into his office he looked at me strange. It was the middle of a school day. He was confused to see me standing before him, but I didn't let him ask. I told him what had happened at school. He mentioned something about a singer and the call of blood, but I just tuned him out. _

_I told him I had to leave. He threw me a set of car keys and I was gone, headed to Canada where Rose and Emmett had stayed. I wasn't going to open the house, just stay there. _

_As I drove I thought about this devil that had invaded my life. Was she sent from hell because of all the lives that I had taken in my rebellious stage? Was this another way for fate to show me that I was a monster just like I always knew I was? How could an insignificant girl chase a vampire from his home and family? _

_So here I sit thinking about all these things. I have hunted and I feel clear minded. I'm thinking that if I just take extra precautions, maybe I can return to my family. But I'm not ready yet. I'm scared and disappointed in myself. I thought I was better than that. I thought that after my stint as a human drinker I could never do it again. I hated that I was wrong. _

_I thought about Alice's vision. I wasn't in it. Was this the reason? Had I left and never returned. Was that why everything was different? I thought about Esme and how heart broken she would be if I never returned. Could I really do that to my family? I'm not sure, I'll wait a week and see, it's all that I can promise right now._

**JPOV**

I called a family meeting, which was unheard of. I had never done that, but this was important. We had to figure out what we were going to do about Bella.

There was something that Alice and I talked about last night and I hadn't told anyone but her. Now it was time for everyone to know because we had to come up with a plan. I wasn't sure how everyone would take it but they had to know.

Rosalie was still not back but Alice assured me that she would be and that she would be in a better mood. Her mood was what was important to me, after the whammy that I had at the other house I couldn't take another of Rosalie's outbursts. She really knew how to draw the life out of a vampire and we had an eternity to spare. I had a new appreciation for Emmett.

Bella was up in the guest room reading the journals and her moods were calm and interested. I felt it was better to just fill her in later and let her study Edward. Somehow I knew that her learning as much as possible was important, I just didn't know how.

The family gathered quietly and looked at me expectantly. "I guess you're all wondering why I called y'all here. The truth is I have to have all of you on board to protect Bella. When I was at the house yesterday I felt Edward as you all know. What I left out was his feeling of urgency. He had fear, but it wasn't for himself. I think he is in fear for Bella. I think he was trying to tell me that she was in danger."

"Of course she was in danger, he send the weight of vampire emotions on her and it nearly killed her." Emmett said.

I shook my head at him, "No I think that the danger is outside of him, if that makes any sense. I think that he fears for her because whatever did this to him is still around, watching and waiting. I think he is scared that whatever, or whoever it is will hurt her if they find out she is in contact with him."

The faces around the table were deep in thought. I could feel the confusion rolling off them as they pondered what I had just said. I waited and the first person to figure out what I was saying was Esme. "It would make sense. The being that did this to my son would want to make sure that he stays put. But what does that have to do with Bella?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, but for some reason she is the key to us getting Edward back. I think that we need to keep her safe until we can figure out how. I personally want to help her. We should answer any questions she has, and more over we should stay as close as possible." I was putting in all the tactical training that I had and trying to put myself in bodyguard mode.

"How do you think that we should do that?" Carlisle had templed his hands in front of his face looking at me expectantly. I could tell by his emotions that he knew the importance of this, he just didn't have and answer. But I did. Alice and I had talked about this in length. We had a plan.

"We take shifts and stay in Edward's old room at the house. No one remembers that it's there anyway, so we can stay there undetected and have easy access to Bella if the need arises."

"All of us? I don't remember Edward's room but even this house is cramped. How are we all going to stay there?" Emmett asked.

"No we will go in shifts of two. When at school we surround her. Even when she thinks she is alone she will never be. Edward thinks this is important guys… and so do I."

My mind thought about Marie. Marie had kept herself blocked from the family. She had loved Edward but never voiced it. She feared what might have happened if she did. She feared what we were, and she feared what she could become. She feared losing her humanity.

But Edward had tried to protect her even as we all begged that he let her go. We told him that she was afraid. Marie had caused a rift in the family. Edward trying to be there for her as much as possible, in any capacity that she would let him and the family telling him that her fear would not let their relationship end well. In essence we had turned our back on her and him. We had let her die and Edward suffer. We had given up on our family morals, but I wouldn't let that happen again. I wouldn't turn my back on him again.

"Okay, let's get this party started, yo!" Emmett said, always exited for a new mission.

I looked at Alice waiting to see if this would work. She stared off into space for a time and looked at me. "The only way this will work is if Bella doesn't know about it. The minute she finds out all hell will break loose."

I thought about that for a minute, I wanted to tell Bella our plan but this changed things. I wasn't sure how I felt about sneaking around her back. But I guessed the her safety was more important in the long run. We were vampires we could sneak with the best of them. She would never know that we were there. We had to do this. "Okay. We should keep her here tonight and take her home tomorrow. I'm going to the old house and see if I can communicate with him. Hopefully his feelings will tell me how he feels about this plan. Alice, can you get me to his room?" She nodded and just like that the meeting was over.

We had a plan and I hoped it worked. This time around there was nothing that could happen to them, Edward or Bella. We would save them both.


	12. Disaster

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot though.**

**Okay guys Last chapter was a great chapter for me to write. It was fun because we all learned about the first time Edward met Marie. A lot of you guys have guesses of who Marie is and it makes me happy that you all are trying to guess. **

**So here we go, chapter 12.**

**Chapter Twelve: Disaster**

It had been three days since I had been in Charlie's house. I started back to school that Tuesday and it was as if I hadn't missed anything. With Alice bringing me my make-up work, I was right on par with everyone else.

But there were two problems. The first was I hadn't been to school since my first day and everyone still looked at me strangely. Some were bold enough to ask me where I had been but most just watched and whispered. I hated it, but at least I had the Cullens there to be with me. I sat with them at lunch and there was always one waiting for me after each of my classes.

And that was the second problem. They were always there with me. The bell for end of class would have barely rung and there was a Cullen. There wasn't any time to worry about anything else; I barely had time to think. In the morning Alice and Jasper were there to ride with me to school, and in the evenings Alice would stay with me for hours doing homework or trying to find things for us to do. Even Rosalie was being nicer, in her own way, but it was all over whelming.

Tonight I was going to find out what was going on. The last class bell had rung and Alice was standing outside my class.

"Hey Alice." I said rolling my eyes at her.

"Hey Bella, listen I won't be able to hang out today. I have to help Esme with some stuff." She looked apologetic, like I was going to be sad about it.

I wasn't, in fact I had pull in my elation and really try to keep a straight face. "Oh, well I guess that's okay. I guess I'll just do my homework and read a little." I said trying not to do a happy dance at the prospect of alone time.

Alice gave me a knowing look and smiled. "Well I guess we can hang tomorrow if it breaks your heart so much." I giggled. Alice knew everything, there was no hiding my mood and I was sure she had seen me in my room going crazy like the kid from home alone.

We said our good-byes and I made my way to my car, and went home. I was instantly dreading it. Edward was pulling away from me. Monday was the first night in years that I hadn't had a dream, I slept peacefully. I thought that Edward was just trying to give me a break, but then the next night came and nothing. I ran through the house looking in all the mirrors, trying to find him and he wasn't there in any of them. He was just missing.

If I had learned anything from his journals was Edward was seriously emo. He over thought and over reacted to everything. That meant that he was feeling bad for what happened in my room. He was beating himself up for letting it get that far and as I had been told he was probably feeling worse over the fact that he could have killed me.

I called for him that night after I got back, but there was no answer. So I thought why not let him work it out in his own time. But after three days the truth was that I missed him. The secret of his, and not just the being missing part, but the vampire part gave my otherwise dull life some adventure. I wasn't sure just how far it ran but Edward had become a part of me over the last five years and now I was empty without him.

I parked the car in the garage and noticed that my dad's car was gone again. Why didn't he just move in with Tanya? He spent most of his time there anyway, but I instantly pushed that thought away. Tanya was a vampire, and I really didn't like her. I had my own personal reasons but mostly because of the way she treated Edward. To me she was a tramp of epic proportions. Trying to force herself on Edward after he repeatedly said no. Hooker.

I made my way to my room and put my bag on the desk. As I laid it down I noticed the journals that lay beside it. I hadn't read then since the entry about first meeting Marie. His reaction to her was both dangerous and scary. He had left because of it. But I knew from my own dreams that they had been friends, so obviously he had returned, but I was scared to read on. Not because of the fact that I thought he might attack her but because of the fact that he wanted her.

I wouldn't say that I was jealous, but as I said Edward had become a part of me and I knew that he loved her. I couldn't imagine him being hurt over and over by someone who didn't return his feelings. And all of them were written out for me to see. I wasn't ready for that pain yet.

I was instantly tired. I called down to the kitchen to tell Alma that I was going to take a nap for a few hours and for her to wake me for dinner. Before I laid down I went to my full length mirror, "I know you're there Edward, I miss you. Please just let me know that you're okay." A tear escaped my eye.

_Miss you too._ The whisper came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

"Thank you." I sighed, and went to bed. I closed my eyes to the world and was glad that Edward had answered me.

_The night had been perfect. Winning Prom Queen was one thing but being with Edward was another. He was such a total gentlemen all night long._

_After the King and Queen dance he never left my side. It was like the rest of the people in the hall disappeared and the whole night was for me and him. We danced and he sang to me, his velvet voice letting me know that every note and word of every song was for me. He moved us with a grace and refinement that was only held by a vampire and the intense look in his eyes let me know the love that he was afraid to declare. _

_I was going over my decision to tell him that I loved him in my mind, thankful that I was the one person that he couldn't read. I knew it was truth but there were other factors to consider. For one his family was a problem. _

_I knew that they didn't care for me. Rosalie kept her distance, and when around me I could tell that her smiles and concerns were fake. Alice always tried to be nice but her perkiness was scary, like one day she would just snap and smile while draining me dry. Jasper still had a huge problem with being around humans in general. While Emmett's size and playfulness was scary too, I just knew one day he would go too far and accidently kill me. _

_But the other problem was Edward himself. I wondered if after I told him that I loved him, would he want to change me right away. I knew for a fact that I wasn't ready for that. I didn't want to be a monster. Not that he was one, but a vampire was by all accounts was, well… a monster. _

_I wanted to have kids someday, and that wasn't possible for him. I didn't want to grow old but at the same time there was so much out there in the world and I didn't want to be stuck at nineteen never getting to do them. I wanted to get drunk for the first time and experience my first hang over. I wanted to join the Peace Corps and travel to Africa. That wouldn't be possible for Edward, imagine him in Africa, blinding people in the sun. _

_But at the same time I wanted to be with him. I needed him. He had put up with so much of my crap over the last two years with no regard to his own feelings. He sacrificed so much for me, and the only thing he wanted was for me to love him in return._

_I could do that. I could give up everything in the world for him just as he had done for me. But not yet. I would tell him tonight and we would work up to everything else. For all I knew he didn't want to change me. For all I knew he wanted to watch me grow old and live with me as a human._

_He always said that he would never choose that life for me. I was okay with that. I was scared of that life, a vampire's life. I was scared to kill anything. Hell I didn't even eat meat. Edward would understand. He always did._

"_Are you ready to go, your majesty?" Edward pulled me out of my thoughts and as I looked around I noticed that the crowd had thinned out considerably._

"_Yes Edward." I said and he smiled his crooked smile at the sound of me saying his name._

_He bowed and gestured to the door and I shook my head at his antics before giggling. He was always so over the top with all that he did. Edward, the overly dramatic vampire._

_When I walked outside to the car I saw my friend Jordan and Cassandra waiting patiently. Well, waiting was not quite what they were doing. Their public displays of affection were as much as you could do still with your clothes on. I looked away, red faced, from the spectacle they were making of themselves. _

_Edward noticing my distress cleared his throat and they broke apart looking very chagrined, but it was kind of cute to see them so lost in each other. _

_Edward and I got in the back seat, because it was Jordan's car. Cassandra was in the front when Jordan slipped into the driver's seat. He gave her a chaste kiss before starting the car, and heading out towards the highway._

_I curled up in Edward's side. At first he was very still and I knew that he was surprised by my actions willingly placed myself in this position. Yes, there were times that I sat in his lap crying my eyes out over some idiot that had dumped me, but never had I nuzzled up to him just to do it. _

_We were all silent, I was listening to the calm breaths that he took that I knew were just for show. It was relaxing and I knew that he was listening to me heartbeat, which gave him comfort. I watched as Jordan and Cassandra stole kisses back and fourth as we shot down the highway, and I made my move. _

_I looked up into Edward's golden eyes and raised my chin up to so that I could look into them but made sure that my lips were even with his. I had never been this close to Edward; his scent was calling to me with every breath that he took. His eyes were silently asking me what I was doing and the confusion was written all over his face. _

_I placed my lips gently to his and chastely kissed him. At first he didn't react, and he stopped breathing. Then like a switch that flipped in his brain he kissed me back. He deepened the kiss by licking my bottom lip asking for entrance and I opened my mouth to let him. _

_I could hear a purring coming from his chest but I knew that my friends couldn't. The kiss was amazing. His lips were cold and unyielding but mine were on fire, and molded to accommodate his. His taste was incredible and I fisted his hair in my hands, pulling him closer. I needed more of him, but he was the one to break away first._

"_What was that for?" He chuckled._

"_I…um… I wanted to tell you something Edward." I stammered._

"_Anything Marie," he said. His eyes were boring holes in mine, and I knew he knew what I wanted to say._

"_Edward I…" I was cut off by bright lights coming fast towards us. _

"_EDWARD!" _

I jumped straight up in bed. It was dark outside but my breath was coming out in huge gusts. I was shaking all over and I realized that I was scared and streaming with sweat. I also realized that I wasn't alone.

I looked over to the window to find none other then Jasper sitting there. "What… what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I was in the woods hunting and I felt you panic. Are you okay?" He asked the concern on his face was mirrored in his words.

"Just a dream." I said.

He nodded in understanding and went to leave. "Wait, where are you going?"

"I have to finish hunting for tomorrow, but if you want I can send Alice over?"

"No, I'll just see you all at school." I didn't want him to leave but I knew how important it was for him to hunt.

"Okay then." He said before dropping out of sight.

I ran my hand through my hair thinking about the dream. It was so real. I felt his lips and the feeling of him holding me. I had to know. I leapt from my bed stumbling over the comforter that had fallen to the floor while I slept and made my way to the desk. I grabbed the last Journal and flipped through it looking for the entry. I had to know if it was real.

As I was flipping through the pages, something fell out onto the floor. It was a newspaper clipping. I picked it up and read the headline.

**CAR, BUS HIT; 3 LEFT DEAD 1 MISSING**

Seattle WA (AP) -- A trip to a high school dance ended in death for three persons when their car collided head-on with a Greyhound bus Friday night. One Person was presumed thrown from the car and has yet to be found.  
The car and bus smashed into each other on State Highway 101 near the small western Washington town of Port Angeles, 12 miles south of here.  
A high school dance in Seattle had been the final destination for the victims, two young men and two girls who were on their way home. Nine of the 25 persons aboard the bus were injured, none seriously. It was one of the worst traffic accidents in Washington history.  
State Police Sgt. HARRY NELSON said the collision occurred as the car attempted to turn off the highway. The bus went out of control after the collision and veered into a shallow roadside ditch, but remained upright, police said. The crumpled car careened into the same ditch and came to rest about 40 feet from the bus. It took police two hours to remove the bodies.  
The three deceased victims were identified as JORDAN LOUIS BRODIGAN, 19, CASSANDRA LASSIE DRAKE, 17, and MARIE ANNE SUMMERS, 19, all from nearby FORKS WA. The Male victim that is missing has yet to be identified, but the search for him is ongoing.

I let the article flutter back to the floor, and opened the Journal to the page that it was left on. There were only three words written on that page: _I killed her. _ I covered my mouth with my hand and a sob escaped.

I wasn't sure who I was crying for. Was I crying for the loss of Marie or was I crying for Edward's loss. But the tears kept coming and I needed to get out.

With a shaky whisper I looked at me mirror, "I'll be back." I grabbed my keys and ran to the garage. I jumped into the car and looked into the mirror in the garage. Edward was there and he had been watching me.

I threw the car into reverse and raced down the driveway and across town. I knew where I was going. I needed answers. I pulled up into the Cullen's drive and ran to the front door.

I knocked and entered not waiting for anyone to tell me to. I know it was rude but I wasn't in the mood to have pleasantries. I stalked into the living room and noticed that everyone was there, even Jasper. "I know this is rude but I'm tired of getting the run around. Tell me what happened. Tell me why Edward thinks that he killed Marie."

Everyone one looked at me with sorrow in their eyes. But it was Esme that spoke. "Because he did, dear. He did kill Marie."


	13. And the World Crashes Down

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**We have a winner for the 100****th**** review. It's Erinmiyu, you go girl. For you have ticket to witness and very purrrrfect Carlisle. That's right he will rub you legs and anything else you need stroked badly. Enjoy, you deserve it. For the rest of my loyal readers hit that button at the bottom of the page we have the next leg of the contest coming up.**

**Chapter Thirteen: And the world Crashed Down**

This couldn't be happening. She couldn't have just said what she did. The shock was the equivalent of sticking my finger in a light socket and my heart thundered in between my ears. My breathing came in pants and I could feel myself wanting to pass out.

But instead I just grew pissed. "What the hell do you mean he killed her?" I yelled at them. "There's no way." I threw my hands in the air, and started pacing trying to shake off the anger that filled me to the brim. "He loved her." And that one sentence stopped me in my tracks. I felt the air leave my lungs like I'd been kicked in the chest.

I thought about the guilt that I felt from him. The sorrow that filled my head and I knew it was truth, he had killed her. I felt him in his agony because I knew that he loved her, and I knew that she had her own idea of love, but she had felt it for him. But he killed her. I couldn't imagine what had changed, what circumstances had led to her demise but I had to know.

I crossed the room and sat on the couch next to Esme. I wrapped my arms around her, "I'm sorry for yelling." I whispered to her, and she hugged me back. "I'm sorry to all of you. I just had a shock and I needed answers. Hell, I still need answers but I wasn't expecting that one. Please forgive me." I begged. They all nodded their forgiveness, even Rosalie to my surprise.

I took a cleansing breath and gather myself. I didn't know if I was ready for this but I knew one thing. Edward was pulling away and I didn't have time to find out through the Journals what happened, and what it had to do with me. I needed to help Edward and I felt the resolve rise in me to hear this horror story. "Okay tell me."

Carlisle came around the couch and sat next to his wife. "How far have you gotten in your reading?" He asked.

"I got as far as Edward meeting Marie but that's it. I was confused at the way he reacted to her so I hadn't read any more." I told him.

"Well… when Edward came to me that day he was scared and frantic. HE was desperate for a way out and there was nothing for me to do but let him go. You see Marie was his singer."

I looked at him with question in my eyes. Edward had used that term also I was confused as to what it was. "What's a singer." Of course I knew what the literal term meant but I was guessing that for them it meant something different.

"Marie's blood called to him. It is a pull that was almost impossible for him to resist. I think that if he had not been denying himself human blood for so long he would not have been able to." I nodded in understanding.

"Well Edward went to Canada, and stayed away for a week but he felt like the family was hurting because he was gone. Truth be told we were. Edward is my and Esme's son. We missed him dearly. So when he came back he was determined not to let this human child defeat him. He was very stubborn and went to great lengths to desensitize himself of her scent." I heard a snort from across the room.

I looked over and saw Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett grinning at one another. "What?" I asked.

"You know how Edward over reacts, right?" Jasper asked. I nodded in response. "Well this time was no different. He went all Stalkerward on the poor girl."

I was confused but the four of them were in hysterics. All of their eyes were glazed over and the laughing just intensified at the look on my face. Alice was the first to recover, "Well he used to sneak into her bedroom at night and watch her sleep, claiming that he needed to in order to not kill her." They all burst out in hysterics again. Even Esme and Carlisle stifled giggles that threatened to leave their lips.

I on the other hand was appalled. What the fuck was going on in that head of his. Of course getting acquainted to her smell was one thing, but sneaking into her room at night… by himself… with no one to stop him if he did decide he was thirsty. Then I remembered that he had invaded my sleep for five years so I guess I wasn't surprised. I snorted, "Figures."

"Well…" Carlisle said gaining control over himself again, "It worked. Edward didn't have quite the same pull to her, but what he didn't anticipate was falling in love with her." Again that fact hit me hard, he was in love with her.

"Another thing he didn't anticipate was her not wanting him back." Rosalie said while examining her nails.

"Yes well there is something that you have to know about vampires Bella. We are the same through eternity. We are like a stone, if something comes along and chips a stone it is forever changed. So when we love we love forever, the same for hate. It never changes. So even though Marie didn't return Edward's affections he still had no choice but to love her and be there for her."

How awful to love someone with all your being, down to your very soul and not have them love you back. Then not being able to move on, or get over it. Edward was trapped in his own feelings. Maybe that was why he killed her.

"Even if she died he would still love her." Carlisle said. Well there went that theory.

"So what happened?" I asked.

Esme answered, "Edward was there in any capacity she would allow. They became best friends and then she found out what we were and everything changed." Esme looked sad and shook her head.

"Marie was afraid of us. She pulled away from Edward for a few months but then her boyfriend broke up with her and she came running to Edward to be consoled. That was the day he told her that he loved her. That was also the day that she told him that she could never love him back. She said that they were better suited as friends and if he pushed she would leave and never come back."

I could see the pain in all of their faces. They knew why she had turned down Edward, but they weren't saying it, so I did. "She wouldn't because you all are vampires."

There were twelve pairs of sad eyes on me like I was going to run out the door screaming. Like I was going to have the same reaction as Marie. I had seen that look before, when I figured out what they were. "Why do you always look at me like that?

"You should hear the rest of the story, Bella." Carlisle said.

"Okay, but then I want answers." I declared.

Nodding in agreement Carlisle continued. "Well about a week before Prom Marie found out that she was nominated for Prom Queen. She came to the house and asked Edward to take her and I had never seen him so happy. It wasn't an declaration but it was a step in the right direction. He and Alice spent that week trying to make everything perfect. They both were so excited."

I looked at Alice, the pixie that quickly became my best friend, and my heart sank. She was so sad, and I thought if she could cry she could have. Jasper put a comforting arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Her hands on her lap were the focus of her attention but she knew that I was watching her.

"When the night came Edward was a wreck. He couldn't find his socks that were on his feet and he lost the corsage twice. He paced around the rooms of the house driving us all crazy waiting for the time that Marie's human Friend Jordan would pick him up to go get the girls."

"Why didn't he drive?" I asked. It was a valid question. I remembered in my dream that Jordan was driving, but surly Edward had a car.

"Marie didn't like Edward's driving." Jasper answered. "It made her nervous."

"Edward described it as the most wonderful night and the worst night of his life." Emmett said.

It was my turn. I had to get through this part. "It was, she had decided to tell him that she loved him. They shared their first kiss before…" before what? The accident? I wasn't sure what happened. All of the vampires were looking at me once again. "Edward sends me dreams." I explained, but they looked at each other with knowing glances.

"Jordan was kissing his girlfriend Cassandra and swerved into oncoming traffic. Edward was able to shield Marie from most of the impact but she was hurt when her arm was trapped in between two pieces of metal as the car folded in on her. He didn't even notice at first, if he had he might not have taken that first breath."

It was so quiet in the house. Carlisle's last sentence hung in the air like impending doom. All of us knew what happened but no one wanted to say it. Edward had killed Marie, and it was all a horrible accident. He hadn't meant to, but her blood called to him and he was powerless to stop himself.

I took a deep breath, "So what happened after?"

"Edward locked himself off in his room. He barely went hunting, and he sobbed endlessly. That was in the winter of 1958. The January of 1959 he was missing. We thought that he had ran away from us… we had no idea he was trapped."

Something occurred to me, "Where do I fit in to all of this?"

The family looked around the room again and to tell the truth I was getting tired of it. "What is with all the looks? Why is it every time I ask a question or say something you all look around like there's a hidden camera."

Alice got up and sat down next to me. "Bella how did you know that Marie was going to tell Edward she loved him?" She asked

That was easy, "Because Edward sent me the dream." I shrugged.

Alice shook her head. "No Bella, Edward would have had no idea that Marie was going to tell him that she loved him."

I was confused, " Of course he would because he could read her…" I stopped because for one the family was shaking their heads and two hadn't I read that her mind was silent to him? He couldn't have read her thoughts. So how did I know. I looked at Alice for the answer.

"You know because you were there. There not just dreams, there memories."

No. Hell no. That was not possible. I jumped up off the couch and crossed the room shaking my head. "NO, that's impossible. I can't be her. She's a sniveling, fearful person. Those are things that I refuse to be." Tears were falling from my eyes and it made my angrier. "You guys are wrong!" I yelled.

Jasper tried to plead with me, "Have you ever wonder why Edward had such a strong connection to you. Why he was able to come to you and not to us?" He gestured to his family. "You have a connection with him that we could never have. You love each other."

Again I was shaking my head, "I don't love Edward. I don't even know him. You guys are grasping at straws here. All of you. First Edward with the relentless dreams and emotions, then you guys with the looks and telling me about reincarnation, and to top the cake I can't get away from you guys because my father it dating Tanya of all people."

I was so caught up in my rant that I had let that last part slip out. I wasn't sure if I was going to tell them about Tanya at first, but I knew she had something to do with Edward, and it had just slipped out so there was no taking it back. I looked up sheepishly to see looks of terror on all there faces.

"Tanya who?" Emmett asked.

"Um… Well… Tanya Denali." I said.

"What the Fuck!" Rosalie screeched

"Rosalie language." Esme chided, but she had a look of 'what the fuck' written on her own face.

"Are you sure Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"Pretty sure. From the way that Edward describes her, skanky, sleazy, and slutty… yeah she pretty much covers it. The three 's' of Tanya, and there is the other thing…" I trailed off.

"What other thing." Carlisle asked. He was sitting on the edge of the couch like he was about to hop off.

"Well I'm pretty sure she has some thing to do with Edward's disappearance." I said. I explained in great detail everything that had happened in the study the night I passed out in the dinning room. I then explained what happened the night I found the panel to Edward's room. I told them how she looked angry with me and how I had evaded suspicion.

"That bitch."

"That slut."

"That conniving cunt" We all spun around with our mouths open the last had come from Esme.

"What? She did something to Edward. I swear if I get my hands on her…" Carlisle held his wife to his chest as she spoke her threats in muffled outrage. He looked at us apologetically.

Emmett and Rosalie were in the corner snickering at their mother's out burst. Alice was sitting on the couch looking at nothing in particular, and Jasper just watched her.

After a couple of minutes Alice looked up. "I can't get a read on her. It's like she has just disappeared like Edward."

I thought about that for a minute. "Alice can you see me when I'm at the house?" She nodded her head. "Can you get a read on Charlie?" I asked.

Again Alice looked off into nowheresville but in an instant she was on her feet with a look of pure horror on her face. "Alice?" Jasper called.

"We have to get to Bella's house right now." She yelled. And without any questions the room cleared like roaches when you turn the lights on. I was the last one to make it out the door but Carlisle had waited for me with the backseat to the Mercedes open. I jumped in and like the wind we were gone.

I had never seen driving like it. It was… well fast didn't even describe it… exhilarating was more like it. But I didn't have time to enjoy it. I had asked Alice to look for Charlie and that's when she freaked. I was worried… fuck that, I was besides myself. What could have happened that had her gathering all the family.

When we pulled up I instantly knew something was wrong. The front door was in shambles, barely hanging on it's hinges. Like someone had used a battering ram on it. I didn't have time to register the rest of the family before I started sprinting towards the house, screaming, "CHARLIE!"

I hadn't gotten all the way to the house when someone grabbed my arm. It was Rosalie. "Let me go! I have to find my father!" I was fighting uselessly against her.

She spun me around still holding me in her iron grip. "Bella," She whispered. I continued to fight her, "BELLA!" she yelled. I stopped and looked at her, and for the first time I registered what was on her face. "We smell Blood." She said sadly.

"No… NO… NOOO!" I screamed and sank into her arms sobbing. Rosalie held me while I cried and the rest of the family went to investigate. But I knew what they would find.

I didn't want to think about it. Instead, I burrowed my head into Rosalie's chest, sobbing my sorrows away. I don't know how long we stood there, but Rosalie stiffened and shifted my attention.

I'd swear that I was flying. One second I was being held up by Rosalie and the next second we were both flying through the air. I crashed into a tree and heard my back break but felt nothing.

Flashes played before my eyes. Edward holding me while I cried for some jackass I had chosen, his caring and understanding in his eyes. Then I flashed to the night of the accident when he killed me. I knew he couldn't help it and I felt the love even though he was about to kill me. I wanted to tell him before I passed out from blood loss, but I hadn't.

Then perfect understanding came to me. 'Tell me' is what he said, what he had begged. He knew who I was even before I did. He knew and I was drawn to him light a moth to a flame.

"Edward…" I called hoping beyond hope that this would work. I could feel the blackness engulfing me. "Edward I… I love you, Edward." And then all went black.


	14. Free

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Okay guys here it is. You all have been waiting for this POV, and you have been very patient. So without further waiting here it is.**

**Chapter Fourteen: FREE**

**Edward's POV**

I was so stupid. Bella and I had been having a great day. Well, as great as I could have without actually being near her, but it was wonderful none the less.

I remembered the first time I had witnessed her. She was fourteen, young -even for my human time, but there was something about her. It seemed that she called to me. Almost like I had met her before. She had long brown hair that fell down her back in waves. When she turned in my general direction I was greeted by big brown eyes. Her eyes were full of knowledge and understanding. Her skin was pail almost translucent. She was beautiful.

She was walking through the house by herself, small and awkward, moving tenderly as she could. I watched her, wondering why she looked like every step was placed with purpose until she missed her footing and fell almost on her face on a very flat surface.

I was alarmed and tried to move to catch her before I realized that there was no way that I could. I growled to myself in frustration. Time passed differently where I was. I was in the house. It was exactly the way the house was when I was placed here but I couldn't leave. When I looked into any mirror in the house I saw what was happening in the real world.

The first thing that I noticed was that Bella looked around. I knew that her father was in another part of the house, as were their hire persons, but she looked around like she heard something.

Had she heard me in my frustrated state? Or was there something else? Before I could think about it she got up and moved to another room. The house on her side of the mirror was empty except the mirrors. The mirrors were still in place.

I think that my jailer had something to do with that. I could see the house but never truly be a part of it. I was forever trapped. Sometimes I wondered why no one saw me. They never heard me, but I saw everything they did.

She had intrigued me. What was it about this child? I followed her and watched her through the house. I learned her from the shadows, lurking where I was sure she'd never notice. She was a very independent child. Mostly keeping to herself. When the staff had off it was her that cooked and cleaned. She was smart and although she never noticed, the people that were around her loved her instantly. While she slept or left, I let my guilt over come me for Marie.

That was when it hit me. This child reminded me of my lost love. The one person that was made for me, but refused me at every turn. But I was content just being what she needed, and for Marie, it was as a friend. No matter how much it hurt to watch her embrace others, I just needed to be close to her in some capacity. It was that need that killed us both. Me mentally, and my Marie, physically.

But Bella was different some how. Stronger, she was clumsy but she held no fear of the unknown. And the same people that loved her so much, Bella was clueless. Unlike Marie, who was also widely loved and fed that love with her own attention, Bella wanted to go unnoticed, invisible. They were different but somehow they were the same. I took solace in the fact that this girl held some traits of Marie, but it was also hard for me because they were traits that I loved and didn't deserve to witness ever again for eternity.

I thought about the first time that Bella saw me. Bella was in her bedroom reading while her father had a 'meeting' with the nanny. Which was the third nanny this summer. She sat in a chair that was parallel to a full length mirror that used to be Alice's. I watched her like I always had, but something was different about her. She was very stiff and she looked like she was looking out the corner of her eye over at the mirror.

I thought at first that she was looking at her self. Fourteen year old girls did that right? The ones that I had any contact with did. But Bella had little interest in her appearance. Bella was like cotton clothing, wash and wear. Not that it was a bad thing, it just proved how low maintenance she was. Nothing like Rosalie or Alice, who continuously shopped and primped.

But Bella continued to glance out of the corner of her eye. It was to the point that she stopped reading and continued to glance out of the eyes. She couldn't have been looking at me, could she? I raised my hand and waved, to test what she was looking at.

All hell broke out in Bella's room. Her head snapped up and stood so fast that she knocked over her chair. She didn't scream out, but she started turning around in circles looking for something. "Hel… Hello? Is.. is there anyone there?" She called in the room.

She had seen me. The first person in I didn't know how many years, and it was a fourteen year old girl. Thinking it was a good idea at the time I said, "Yes." I guess that was the straw that broke the camels back because Bella ran from her room at full speed, tripping over the chair that she had toppled, a pile of clothing, and then nothing at all.

Okay maybe answering her might have been a bad idea, but she heard me. She saw me. And I was pretty sure that she had twisted her ankle tearing ass out of the room because of it. But it was progress, I was noticed. Now what was I going to do with that.

A few days later I realized what I was going to do. Nothing. Bella thought that I was a figment of her imagination. She thought she was cracking up. As I watched from the mirror of her father's study she requested to return to her mother. My hopes were dashed. I had scared her so bad she was leaving. I felt the guilt slip out of me that night. I was sobbing quietly while Bella slept.

But something was happening to Bella as I sobbed, she cried. She was sleep but I could see the tears move down her cheeks to her pillow. Was she feeling what I was? How could that be? I stared at her for a long while. She was human wasn't she? Even from my prison I could hear a whisper of her heartbeat. She was defiantly human. God how I wished I had someone to talk to.

The one person that I could talk to was a fourteen year old terrified girl that wanted to run because of the vampire in the mirror. I sucked so bad. But the fact that she was feeling my anguish gave me an idea. I started concentrating, trying to project my thoughts to her. I thought about the day I ended up here. I showed her the hall and let her feel the fear and confusion that I had.

Her face turned to panic, and her breath was labored. A very thin sheen of sweat broke out her forehead. It was happening I was doing it. She was seeing what I was showing her and she reacting to it. I had a connection with this human. He panic became more sever and I stopped projecting. She sat up quickly with a strangled sob.

I was existed. I sat on the floor and closed my eyes. I was still unable to sleep but needing to take a break. "Find me, Bella" I whispered to my self, but I heard Bella gasp. She had heard me. She knew I was there even though she didn't know that I was real. I could work with that.

Bella left the next day, but even from where ever she was I could still feel the connection that we had. I continued to send her dreams showing her what had happened to me. But as I got to what had happen my strength would give out and I would have to rest. I decided that we both needed a break between dreams so even though she had them about three times a month I still didn't have the strength to send the full happening.

Bella was gone for five years. I knew that it was me that was keeping her away but the circumstance that had her return was not the best. Her mother died and she was a wreck when she got to the house.

The first thing that I noticed was that Bella was no longer a child. She had filled out and grown from the clumsy child to a very lovely, and still very clumsy young women. She was gorgeous, to the point that there was a pain in my chest.

She stood inside the door and the air left my chest, my mouth hung open and my mind went blank. There in front of the door was the spitting image of… Marie.

I thought that my jailer had done this to torment me. Somehow my lost heart was standing in the doorway, breathing. My jailer would have done this. There was no end to the punishment that she believed that I deserved. Until the day I loved her I was going to be here. So I was going to be stuck in my prison forever. Never feeding, never aging, never sleeping, and never dying.

But it wasn't my jailer's doing. This was my Bella. I wasn't sure at what point I had started describing her as 'my' Bella, but she was mine. We were two halves. I was a link to this place, just as she was a link to the real world for me.

My Jailer had visited quite a bit over the years, which by my count had been fifty, and my loathing for her intensified. But it was when she decided that dating Bella's father was the way to go, that's when my hate turned murderous.

And the day that she was in the house at the same time as Bella my murderous haze turned to fear. If for any reason Tanya found out about how strong the link between Bella and I was there would be no stopping her from killing her.

Tanya warned me repeatedly. She snuck into the house at night to have long one sided conversations with me about how stubborn I was. She told me that if I let Bella alone she wouldn't consider the vial things that she could do to her. But at that point I couldn't. At that point I was in love with Bella. Not with Marie which confused me.

But I had also thought about something else. If the only way for me to be released from Tanya's prison was to fall in love with her, maybe Bella could free me by falling in love with me.

I led her to my room that had been hidden from all of Forks. I led her to my personal journals so that she knew what she was dealing with. I begged her to find me, to tell me. I couldn't tell her what to tell me, something stopped me. Some thing held my tongue when ever I tried.

The day that Bella and I talked in length I had a break down. I so truly love this woman, but my guilt over what I had done to Marie was so strong. The guilt and that sadness poured out of me. I just wanted her to know how sorry I was for what I had done, but in the end I couldn't control it. I was at the mercy of my own feelings. But the link between Bella and I had strengthened, she too was at the mercy of my feelings, and it was killing her.

I prayed for the first time that day. I prayed that someone would help us. For everything that she was feeling it was being shot back at me. It made me feel worst what I was doing to her and the feeling shot back to her. I begged that someone would help.

An answer to my prayer Alice and Jasper burst into the room. For the first time they knew where I was. Jasper hadn't been back to the house. He felt me. He knew I was close. But then Alice struck Bella on the back of the head and the connection was broken. Alice and Jasper took Bella away and for two days I didn't see her.

When Bella returned I kept to myself. She called and begged for me to acknowledge her but I couldn't. Yet again I had almost killed my love. I couldn't be trusted with such a fragile life. So I stayed in the shadows, quiet and followed her to make sure that she was okay. And for three days we were further then we had ever been.

Bella came home from school on the third day. She looked tired and broken. She had been sleeping at night, but I had noticed that she was having dreams. Dreams that I wasn't sending her. She called down to the kitchen and told her housekeeper Alma that she was taking a nap. Before she laid down she stood in front of the mirror.

I made sure that I was not visible to her. "I miss you." She told me.

"Miss you." I breathed.

About two hours later Bella shot up out of Bed. I watched her run to her desk and grabbed one of my journals. I was confused by how frantic she was. She turned to the mirror and whispered, "I'll be back." And she left.

I looked at her desk, the journal that she had was left open. I moved closer on my side and there it was. My confession to killing Marie.

I felt that she was running from me. It had finally happened, she had come full circle. Marie had known from the beginning, but Bella was there after five years. She said she was going to return but I could only imagine the fear that she felt at that very moment.

While I was thinking about these things, and how much I really wanted to explain the type of monster I was to Bella, to help her with her resolve to leave me where I was I heard a crash coming from the inside of my house.

I raced through the house looking for the reason of the sound. I was running through the hall when the mirror exploded right in front of me. Second before I saw the repulsive smile of Tanya. She was cutting me off.

"NOOOOO" I yelled.

I ran through the house but it seemed as soon as I got there the mirrors would shatter in a rain of glass. All over the house was glass and small explosions.

I sank to the floor. She had won. She had cut me off from Bella. Think about it I realized she hadn't. I could still feel her. I tried to get her a message, but the connection was weakened with every mirror that had been broken. I couldn't sent her what I needed to.

I searched the house walking on broken glass, looking for an unhampered window into the real world. Where ever I turned my freedom was broken. I made my way to the garage, I was beginning to panic, but it wasn't my own panic. It was Bella's.

I ran to the mirror in the back of the garage. There she was being restrained by Rosalie. Bella was screaming and the rest of the family was making their way into the house. I could only guess what was going on. Tanya had finally lost it, and she had taken Charlie with her.

I couldn't imagine what she was going through, within three weeks she had lost her mother and her father. All her family lost to her. I stared after her. I wanted nothing more then to hold her, comfort her. I wanted to offer her my family and myself for all eternity.

A steak of red caught my eye before it slammed into Rosalie and Bella from behind. They were tumbling through the air and out of my view. The sound of a huge crash reached my ears, but a sickening crack, the unmistakable sound of a bone breaking had me screaming.

A female vampire looked into the garage but at the sound of my family approaching she ran off. I saw Carlisle flip into doctor mode and I prayed that Bella was okay. I prayed that any injury she had endured would heal, but by the strangled sobs that poured out of Alice's mouth I knew.

Again I fell to my knees. This was too much. I wished for death, I wished for mercy. Everyone in my life that I had love with a passion that defied words died. I didn't belong. There was no happiness for me.

"Edward. Edward I love you." And with those words I was on the other side of the glass. I could smell and feel. I was free. I raced around the corner to see what was out of my view.

Bella lay in an awkward angle, her back visibly broken. I heard gasps around me as my family saw me for the first time in over fifty years, but there was no time for greetings. I had to save Bella.

As I bent over the scent of her blood assaulted my nostrils, venom pooled in my mouth. More venom then I had ever remembered secreting. But it was just what I needed. I just hoped that I could stop when the time came. Fifty years of hunger was rushing up and thundering between my ears.


	15. Hell

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. But I do own the plot.**

**So glad that you all enjoyed that last chapter. It was one that I had been very exited about writing for a very long time, but it needed to be perfect in it's placement. So we are back to Bella's POV but don't worry there will be more in Edward's later.**

**So here it is Chapter 15.**

**Chapter Fifteen: Hell**

The feeling in my body was gone. I knew that I had broken my back but my thoughts were a swirl of blackness and Edward. I hoped that he had heard me, in my last moments, my desperate declaration of love. The love that I was unable to relay to him in my last life, that I had also lost so tragically fifty years ago.

My only thoughts were how lonely Edward was going to be locked in his own world for all eternity without anyone on the outside to help with his problem. My solace was that I had told the story. The Cullens knew where he was and so if it took eternity they could help my love from his prison and bring down his captor.

I floated for a great long while, well it felt like a long while, waiting for what ever fate awaited me. That's when I felt the initial warmth. I welcomed it thinking that heaven was just within my reach. At any moment the gates of heaven would open and light would blind me. I thought of my mother waiting for me in that light and embraced the warmth within my soul.

The warmth grew hotter and hotter and my thoughts of peace and love became panic and fear. Why is the pain shooting through my body? Was I not going to heaven to join my mother? Was I going to… HELL?

What had I done to deserve this? What had I done to displease God that I was Satan's puppet? The heat increased with each passing thought. From heat it turned to burning and I knew that if I could open my eyes I would find that my flesh was being seared from my bones by little nymphs with horns and pointed tails, only to grow back to let the torture start all over again.

This thought frightened me more so I squeezed my eyes shut and refused to give them the pleasure of knowing the agony that I was going through. I could feely the scream climbing up my throat but that is where it stayed. I would not scream or whimper, I would remain perfectly still for as long as this particular torture ran.

I did this out of guilt. As the excruciating pain racked my body I knew why I was here. I had failed. I had failed Edward and my father. I had put them all in danger and in the end their lives had been forfeit.

Which each careful barrier that Tanya had put up and I had heedlessly crossed I had earned my own special place in hell. I had been given a second chance at life and love. I had been given a second chance to undo all the wrongs I had done but instead I walked right back into them.

Marie had let herself be taken by the vampires. She had never heeded her own fear towards them and ended up dead as the realization of love was to be uttered. God had given her… us…. me another chance to make things right. Instead I walked right back into them with no fear and more curiosity then ever. Again falling in love with my murderer to end in the same fate as before, but with one caveat, no next chance, do not pass go do not collect two hundred dollars, go straight to hell.

But I couldn't feel bad for loving Edward. I'd never touched him, never kissed his lips. In fact I had never seen him directly, but my love for him was unwavering. So I would endure my hell with no complaint. And if anything I would pray not for my release but for his. I wanted nothing more but for him to be able to be free to walk the earth with his siblings and for someday I prayed that he would forgive himself for something that was out of his control. I wished that I could be the one to tell him that I forgave him but that was not to be. Was an eternity long enough for him to forgive himself? Fifty years wasn't.

The pain increased and increased but now I could hear things around me. Little things that my mind could not make sense of. "Let's get her to the bed…"

"Would it matter?"

"I don't know but let's try something."

Why would these demons want to put me on a bed? What was this torture her with comfort? I was confused but I needed to hold on. This must be a evil plot to get me to let go of my resolve. They must be trying to get me to lower my defenses and let out the scream that I was holding for so long.

"Extraordinary, I've never seen anyone go through that without some sort of pain."

"She's so quiet."

"When will he get back?

"Right before she wakes."

"Fifty years is a long time to be thirsty. Did you see the restraint that he had when it came to her? He fought so hard and then took off."

"Yes, I'm proud of him."

Did with whom? They couldn't be talking about me. What was it with these beings? I wasn't some lab experiment. In fact I wasn't sure what I was. But I wasn't an experiment. It was almost like they were having shop talk during my torture session. "Hey meet me do at the quiet brunette's corner so we can talk about the game." These demons were talking about some other demon's conquest while burning me over and over again.

The pain ebbed on, with one difference. My fingers and toes were without pain. I focused on those parts of my body still trying to take away any small pleasure that my torturers had. I internally smirked at how frustrated they must be. I wondered how long I had been like this. A week maybe two?

"It's been two and a half days." Someone said.

WHAT? Two and a half days! That was bullshit. I must have been burning for longer. I almost opened my mouth to argue but I caught myself. It was a diversion tactic. They were trying to psych me out. They knew as soon as I opened my mouth the scream that had been waiting there would come out and they would have won. I was sure that once I started screaming it wouldn't stop. I was doomed to an eternity forever screaming with monsters laughing and dancing around me. That shit was not going to happen. Over my crisp body, horn boy.

The pain in my arms had subsided. I wondered if they were letting me heal in those parts to begin all over again. As I focused on the burning parts of my body I thought of something. What if they weren't burning those parts so that I concentrate on them and then, as I was left unaware, they would start the burning again. That shit would suck so I focused on the burning, alternating between the two so that I could keep my mouth shut.

But those Demons were conniving. They knew my weakness and as I noticed that the fire had left most of my body and centralized in my chest a voice floated to my ears. Three words from the most beautiful voice in the world, and I was broken.

"How is she?" Edward's voice seemed to caress the non-burning parts of my body and I could feel my body start to shake with the effort to keep quiet.

"She's impressive. She hasn't made a sound, even though we can see the pain on her face." The other voice I heard sounded like Carlisle.

I had to look. I had to see the beasts that were imitating the man that I had lost. I had to see so that I could curse them over and over in my mind for the next eternity. They could burn me over and over but I would be burning them over and over in my mind without prejudice.

I could feel the fire as my heart started to pound in my chest unbelievably fast. I was failing. Could you die in hell? Probably over and over. I cracked my eyes open and the brightest light I had ever seen shone down on me. Dark figures moved around me and the fear only escalated my heart rate.

I could feel my chest heaving in shallow fast pants. "It's almost over." Carlisle voice floated to me once again.

My eyes adjusted on the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. Edward stood over me with concern in his eyes. I opened my mouth. I was going to ask him what he was doing in hell. Why had he been here? But instead of the words and ear piercing scream erupted from my throat, and then all was quiet.

Okay, not quiet. I could hear things. I could here the cars on the highway a couple miles away. I could hear crickets and the wind before it rustled the trees. I could hear the soft breaths of the person that stood looking at me. But I wasn't breathing.

I took a breath and it felt wrong. I could feel my lungs expand but there was no need to exhale and no need to retake another breath. But there was something else. I could taste everything with the breath. I could also feel the air settled on my skin. I could see every dust particle that was in the air, which peeved me some because if this was going to be the first time that I was going to see him, I didn't want Edward's appearance to be hindered by dust. It was a crime of epic proportions.

I reached up and tenderly touched the face I had run from and ultimately run to for five years. He was smooth, solid, and glorious.

"Are you really here?" I asked mentally taking note of the small change in my voice.

"Yes Bella, You saved me." He smiled down on me but his smile was crooked. It was a small imperfection that sent my stomach doing flip flops through my body.

He reached down and smoothed my hair. Lovingly, with so much tenderness in his eyes that it made me hurt so much. "Did I?"

I was confused. Or maybe he was. How in the world had I saved him. I did nothing but get everyone in trouble.

"Yes love. Say it again." His request only stumped me for a second and I knew what he wanted. I also knew that I wanted to give it.

"Edward, I love you." I waited for a blush to make it's appearance but it never came.

"And I love you, Isabella Marie." His struck me and my soul soared.

But even as I thought things started to snap into place, I'm sure that my confusion showed on my face because Edward looked panicked. "What is it Love?"

"My… my father?" I asked.

The look on Edward's face was all I needed. I had known as I stood out with Rosalie, and as I burned but Edward's face set it in stone.

I jumped from the bed that I was laying on. I looked for the nearest exit and leapt out. It was only after the fact that I realized that I had jumped out of a two story window with the glass falling all around me. I landed lightly on my feet.

At that second the words from Edward's journals came back to me. The pain, the burning, it was the transformation. I was now a vampire, a blood drinker, a predator. I fell to my knees and sobbed loudly. I felt the wind barely rustle before arms engulfed me and the smell of Edward at my side.

"Edward?" The question was not if it was him but what was going to happen now? How was I going to live and if I was going to be kept by him?

"It will be alright love." He cooed to me. "Are you thirsty?"

With that one question a burning, initially just a tickle, bust to life in my throat. It was a localized feeling of pain just slightly less then the burning that I went through during the last few days. But I pushed it back I had to ask a question of this man.

"Why Edward? Why did you change me?"

"You were broken Bella. Your back and legs…" He trailed off looking into the night ahead of us. He seemed to be debating on what to tell me next. "I lost so much when Marie died. I couldn't stand to see you suffer, when I had the ability to make this right."

He turned to me looking into my eyes hoping for me to understand what he was saying. He was telling me that he had to save us both. He was telling me that if I had suffered just one more minute, it would have killed him. He was telling me that he loved me without saying the words.

I wanted to throw my arms around him. I wanted to touch him. Especially for the reason that touching had been so off limits for so long, and the fact that I could look upon his face and not have him disappear just made the want to touch even more strong. But I didn't. Not because I thought that he would pull away, but because I wasn't sure what I should be focused on. So I let the burn come back to the forefront of my mind, I needed to survive in order to figure out what was in store for me in eternity.

But there was something else that I thought about. Revenge. Revenge served cold to the vampires that took my life. To the vampires that took Edward's life. I kept it quiet but it boiled the venom in my body. I was going to do as much research as I could to find the weakest link in Tanya.

I was not Marie who just took what ever information that Edward and the others gave her. I was Bella who took what information that she got and ran with it to the truth. I was not going to hide under the bed and hope for the best. I was going to stand on the front line and kill or be killed.

After all was said and done then I would figure out Edward. I refuse to live in the shadow of my former self. He had to know that. And if he could love me for me then eternity would be a magical place. But if not…

"So, Edward, where do we begin?" I asked not knowing if he got my double meaning.

A dazzling smile crossed his face and if I had been human my heart would have stopped at the sight. "We run." At that he grabbed my hand and we took off into the night leaving our laughing behind us.


	16. Foot in Mouth Disease

**I don't own it. I own the plot though.**

**Hey I had some very great questions on the last chapter. The one that I am going to answer was if Tanya got away. Yes she did. That's all that I have to say about that. Lol.**

**Another thing is that my story Not Even Death was nominated for an Indie Twific Award (thanks Nan). If you haven't read it check it out. The first few chapters are pre Beta, but over all it's a cool story. Vote for me at http:// theindietwificawards . com. Obviously you'll need to take out the spaces. Most of all thank you for your continued support. Voting starts July 6****th****. **

**So here's chapter 16.**

**Chapter Sixteen: Foot in Mouth Disease **

Watching Bella move through the forest as I taught her how to hunt was electrifying. Her movements were fluid, like she was mercury moving towards mercury, sliding seamlessly across a flat surface. It was mesmerizing and arousing, and to tell the whole truth I was unnerved about it.

This was how I had always pictured Marie if the time ever came that I had to change her. Of course I hadn't wanted to change her and the fact that she didn't want to be changed made me relieved. Marie had been precious to me as a human, calling to my hidden humanity, making me act like the eternal teen that I was. And then of course there was the fact that Marie was petrified of what I was. Keeping her distance for so long as I secretly pined for her with my dead heart breaking with each kiss she carelessly gave away to anyone but me. I wasn't sure that she would have wanted to be like us in the end, but that was past.

Bella on the other had been carefree, leaping over fallen logs and racing through the forest with the biggest smile on her face. The smile that I had longed to see for so many years as I branched out to her, calling to her subconscious for her to help me. She was beautiful and lively even for a girl that died just two hours ago. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. She was born to be a vampire and took the change in stride.

We hunted and her thirst was one to match even Emmett's, after taking down three bucks and a small cougar she was sated. We decided after that to split up. She wanted to hone her instincts and even though I hated to leave her side I let her go. Of course I checked for humans first and made sure that there wasn't one even remotely in the direction that she was going. I didn't want her to have to hurt for killing someone. Her heart wouldn't be able to handle that. I saw Carlisle's compassion when I looked at her. But there was something else. I saw the traits of the others also.

She had Rosalie's tenacity and no holds barred attitude. She had Jasper's ability to think and study all avenues of a problem to solve it. She carried Emmett's playfulness, and Esme's unconditional love. But also she had Alice's excitement, the bubbly overflow that we loved so much. It was like all my family had contributed to the creation of this girl that had loved me even though she didn't remember me from before. Could that mean that Marie loved me all those years ago?

Alice had made sure that I had this tiny little phone she called a 'cell' with me. It was sleek and sliver just like my car. Bella had one also so if something happened she could call and I could get to her as soon as possible.

As I sat on a huge boulder in the middle of the forest and I thought about Bella and all that she had done for me. She had said that she loved me. Did I truly love her? I knew the answer, I did. But did I love her for who she was in the present tense or did I love her for who she was in the past? That was the true question. Bella and I had a connection and I wasn't sure if it was a connection that stemmed from the past or was forged within the last five years.

Bella was a totally different creature than Marie. She was brave and funny. She had accepted what we were and in essence what she had become. Marie couldn't do that. I wasn't sure if she ever would have.

But still there was the night of prom. She was distracted all night but it seemed that she was distracted by me. She had said things to me that night but her eyes looked like she was having a battle in her mind and she had more that she wanted to say. Right before the accident the battle was won.

I hoped and prayed that she would tell me what it was. I begged within myself that if it was something bad I could deal with it. I told myself that anything that she had to say I had dealt with worse for her and this would be no different. I would understand and I would do as she wished. When her lips touched mine there was something in it. She poured so much love into that kiss, but there was something else, I couldn't put my finger on it at the time.

But then the accident happened, and with Marie being my singer I was overcome by bloodlust. I couldn't stop and in the end I watched as her life force passed from her to me and her heart thumped for the last time. I frozen then and in my panic I tried to wake her up. I begged and pleaded for her to open her eyes to me, and to please forgive my transgressions, but her eyes never opened and I was overcome with guilt so much so that I wrenched and purged myself of the last thing that I stole from her, her blood pooling on the asphalt.

Over the last fifty years I had a lot of time to think. The one thing that kept coming back to me was the kiss that night. The feeling that had passed through me at the time. It was an odd feeling, and I wasn't sure what it was at the time but as I thought about it the only thing that I could come up with was that I felt a click. The kiss felt forced on my side, and that was crazy because I had fantasized about it so many times and they never felt like that. I still had no idea what it was but for some reason it hadn't felt… right.

I was lost in my thoughts and I felt and heard a faint buzz coming from my jacket pocket. I pulled out this 'cell' phone and looked at it. This thing had too many buttons, I swear. I looked at the screen as I picture of Alice was flashing in front of me. I pressed the green button as I was shown.

"Hello Alice."

"Edward you have to get back to the old house. Bella is there."

What? Why would she go there? She hadn't even gone in that direction. "What's going on?" I asked Alice.

"Edward there's no time." She lamented.

With that I shat through the forest to Bella. I pushed my legs as fast as they would go hoping that whatever was happening I could make it in time to save her. As the house came into view I heard her. She was on the second floor so I leapt up to the balcony and let myself in.

I passed through her father's study and into the hallway and Bella was in the middle of the floor surrounded by blood and glass. She was sobbing loudly and her body shook violently. Without alerting her to my presence I scooped her up and sat her on my lap against the wall.

She was curled into a ball like she was trying to crawl into my body to disappear. She I just held her, stroking her hair for the comfort that I hoped that she would receive. I thought of the times that I had done this for Marie, but this was different. Bella wasn't crying over an immature boyfriend. She was crying for the loss of her father.

"Bella it will be okay." I promised her. "We will get through this together."

Her sobbing lessened and the shaking stopped. "Edward she killed my father. She killed Alma and Steven. They didn't deserve this. They had no idea that this was going on. Why would she do this?"

She looked so small at that moment. She gazed into my eyes looking for the answers that would never come. I didn't have them, I never did. I could blow smoke up her ass and give her the generic explanation but she deserved better. "I don't know, Love. But we will find out together."

This seemed to make her feel better. We sat in silence for a long time, just holding each other. She held me for all that I had been through and I held her for all the things that she was going through. Before long we were both sobbing quietly into each other. We had both lost, we had both been damaged, by one person and even if she were dead there was no way for us to get back the time and family that had been brutally taken from us.

That's when I realized that I was angry. Not angry for my prison but angry for Bella. She was innocent and I had dragged her into it. She had kicked and screamed and still I dragged. When she cried and lost sleep for the dreams I dragged. When I caused her to pass out I dragged, and even when I felt bad about it I still sent her dreams, one where I did very naughty things to her, but still dragged her on. My selfishness knew no bounds.

I gently placed her on the floor beside me and got up. I needed an outlet anything to hit and kick. I needed to destroy something in place of myself, because that's who should have been destroyed. I walked over to the wall that had hidden my existence for fifty years and threw myself against it. I punched and kicked, wood and plaster flying around me while the wall disintegrated under my strength, vaguely aware of Bella watching me from where I had placed her.

"Stupid, stupid, thieving Bitch! Just takes and takes, never giving anything in return." I yelled with every punch. "Never good enough, never right." I dropped to my knees amidst the rubble of evil that had people forget, and realized that it wasn't Tanya that I had been cussing it was Marie. I had never been enough for her. I had been made of her worst nightmares and here I was again with Bella, a relationship built on her worst nightmares. Somehow my mind had made the leap that Marie was the cause for it. Some how it was all her fault.

Had she loved me as I had loved her I would have been ready for Tanya. If she had loved me then Bella would have been safe. But she didn't. She was a coward and in turn so was I.

"She was going to tell you the night of the Prom." Bella's voice was right behind me and I hadn't heard her approach me.

"What?" I was confused.

"Marie was going to tell you that she loved you that night." A look passed over Bella's face, a mixture of concern, jealousy, and fear.

"How do you know that?"

"I dreamed about that night, Edward. All night long she looked at you like she had never seen you before, and she did love you but her fear kept her from telling you. She was going to tell you that night, seconds before the accident." She pulled me from the floor and waited for my response, but I had none. What was I suppose to do with this information? How was I supposed to process it?

Instead of saying anything I turned to the stairs leading to my room and began to climb them. I walked slowly hoping that Bella would follow me and when she did, I didn't feel alone. Some how just knowing that made me stronger and when I got to the door I didn't hesitate to open it.

I looked around and noticed that it was just as I had left it. There wasn't even a layer of dust on the floor. I was shocked because I was prepared to clean it if I had too, but some one had taken care of it.

"I cleaned up a little for you." Bella looked at the floor sheepishly.

I pulled her to me and wrapped my hands around her, tucking her head under my chin. Her arms snaked around my waist and a sigh of contentment came out of her lungs. "Thank you." I told her in earnest.

A thought occurred to me at that moment. I really didn't know Bella. I didn't know about her past, her mom. I knew about her time here but that was a short stint and I truly wanted to know this girl.

"Bella, will you tell me about your time in Phoenix?" I asked.

She looked up at me studying my face looking to see if I really wanted to know. When she found nothing but sincerity she said, "Only if you tell me about you."

"But you know everything, you read my journals."

"Yes but your journals were written sporadically, I want to know about your interactions day to day." She was right. The only time I wrote was when my life had gotten the better of me and I needed an outlet.

"Okay." I conceded. I lead her to the couch and we sat there for a long while talking and laughing about different things that happened with in our lives. Some of Emmett's shenanigans held our laughter for a great while. We stayed away from the topics of Marie and her parents, to ease the pain that we were feeling and it worked.

Bella was amazing. All her life she was clumsy, falling over air, it was a wonder she survived her life at all. But there was more, she was logical, passionate, charismatic. She had morals and ideals that surprised even me, to see these things in this day and age is rare, to say the least. She also had a fierce disposition. She told me about her stand-off with Rosalie and I felt pride in the fact that as a human, vampires didn't scare her. She put Rose in her place without breaking a sweat.

I wanted to share things with this girl. I wanted her to know about my very worst because somehow I knew that she would accept it. The good, the bad, the ugly, she would take it all and not miss a step. She truly loved me, all of me and she deserved for me to love her in return.

After a while I made my way to my piano. I sat quietly on the bench just looking at the keys, making no move to play but taking comfort in something that I knew.

"Well, are you going to play?" Bella asked sliding in on the bench next to me.

"I don't know. I'm scared of the music." I looked at her for understanding. I was scared; I was scared of what would come out of me via my fingers. I was scared that fifty years of hate and loathing would appear.

"Well do you mind if I play?" She asked. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes. My curiosity was peaked so I nodded for her to go ahead.

She looked down and then closed her eyes. She brought her hands together and cracked her knuckles, placing her fingers on the keys. Her face looked as if she was concentrating, and I just knew the piece that she was going to play was going to be magical. She took a deep breath and began playing… Chopsticks.

We both erupted into a fit of laughter and fell back onto the floor behind the piano. "Why Bella, that was magnificent. I'm unworthy to play anything after that." I joked.

"Chopin has nothing on me huh?" she chuckled.

I pulled her to me so that she lay halfway on my chest, her hair falling around my head making the illusion that it was just the two of us. "Bella..." I whispered.

There was a fire in her eyes, a mixture of lust and love, and I couldn't stop myself. I pushed up and kissed her. The kiss began chaste and sweet but quickly ignited in something more primal, laced with need. I thought I would die the moment our tongues met.

Her tongue was soft and warm in my mouth causing me to groan out loud. My hands shot out on their own accord and wrapped around her body, pulling her flush with mine. Every one of her newly accentuated curves was pressed into the hard lines of me. My hips bucked up into her center. I could feel the heat radiating there.

Hundreds of thoughts flew through my head at once. I could recall hearing people's thoughts about what was pleasurable during sex even if I was still a virgin. I had no doubt Bella was a virgin too. On one hand, I felt euphoric that I was finally going to touch Bella. The dream came back to me once more and I swallowed hard. I was finally going to touch Bella.

Then I remembered that I had no clue what I was doing. How was I supposed to please her if I didn't know what the hell she liked? I cursed the air around me but kept my mouth shut. I didn't need to let Bella know about my dilemma.

I tried to gentle the kiss, truly I did, but Bella's hands were in my hair, fisting it and pulling with all of her might. The tingling sensations ran straight down my spine and branched out to my arms and legs. My pants were uncomfortably tight, a feeling that I'd never really dealt with before. When I had been trapped in the mirrors, I could feel echoes of emotions but never the true intensity of them.

In Bella's dream, I had expended so much energy just to reach out to her, I couldn't fully enjoy the benefits of our activities. Before I could ponder it further, Bella ripped my clothing to shreds leaving me stark naked. The inexperienced part of me wanted to cover myself in shyness, but her full gaze on me held me in place. Her eyes raked over my body and I could feel the waves of lust rolling off of her.

I leaned up and grabbed the collar of her shirt with my teeth. I pulled and tore it down the front of her. A few strategic pinches of my fingers and her pants were gone as well. Bella sat up, straddling my chest in her panties and her shirt draped over her, hiding her breasts from my view. It was so much more erotic than had she had her shirt off, the idea of what she was hiding was driving me mad with desire.

Her red eyes met with my orange ones and we just stared at each other. Our chests were heaving with breaths we didn't need. I reached up slowly, wanting to savor this moment, even though I would be able to remember it with perfect clarity forever. As my hand cupped her cheek something flashed in her eyes. Her mouth dove down and crashed into mine with a resounding crack. Her body slid down, hovering over my erection as her lips assaulted my neck. Her hands were in my hair again, pulling and tugging in earnest.

Something snapped in my mind and my hands grabbed her hair into a ponytail and yanked her head back momentarily. I used the advantage to stand and wrap her legs around my waist. My cock was pressed against her entrance and her wetness was making me slick.

I turned and placed her on top of my piano. As much as it pained me to do so, I recalled some of Emmett's memories of his trysts with Rosalie. Hopefully I would learn a thing or two that Bella might like. I pushed her back so she was draped over my piano and spread her legs wide. Her moisture was glistening on the insides of her thighs; the scent was beckoning me forward. Her little pink nub was pulsing as the venom throbbed through it.

I leaned forward and spread her outer lips apart, just as I had seen in my head. My head dipped down and my tongue shot out to flick at her clit. She hissed at me as my tongue made contact and her hips thrust up into my face. I did it again and received a similar reaction which emboldened me.

I put my arms under her legs and wrapped my hands around her outer thighs, anchoring her in place. My face was planted at the apex of her thighs, but tongue swirling around in her folds while my nose brushed up against her clit.

She began writhing beneath me, which was the desired effect. I could feel my erection throbbing, it was nearly painful. My balls were aching as well, it was nearly too much. I reached down to adjust myself, but the shock of sensation that flowed through me when my hand made contact with my achingly hard cock caused me to gasp in surprise.

I was even more pathetically hopeless than your average teenage virgin boy. Not only had I never seen a girl naked, other than in my head, but I had never even touched myself in that way before. In my human years, masturbation was seen as unseemly. We were told that hair would grow in our palms or that we would go blind. The fear of that carried over into my vampiric nature and in all my years on this earth, I had never done that.

I renewed my efforts on Bella, desperate to give her even an ounce of pleasure so she wouldn't regret this. Her hands dug into my hair once more and my pleasure skyrocketed. The venom was flowing in my mouth and my need was rising, building to a torrent inside me. I let go of my throbbing cock and dug my fingers into Bella's thighs again. My senses were clouded by my desire and I bit her clit, roughly.

Her body stilled completely for a fraction of a second before she bucked up and screamed my name. She dragged me up by my hair and slid her body sinuously down mine. She growled in my ear, "Now!" It was all the request I needed. I lined myself up with her and thrust in quickly.

In that one spell-binding moment, all thought fell out of my head. I didn't need anyone else's memories to guide me. Feeling Bella's slick heat surrounding me was all that I needed. I pulled my hips out and thrust back in. Over and over I pounded into her and heard a crunching noise. I picked Bella up and wrapped her around me right before my beloved piano collapsed to the ground in a useless heap. I was too aroused and consumed by Bella to care.

I rushed to the nearest wall and threw her up against it as my hips continued their frenzied pace. Wild noises were sounding in my ears, grunts and groans, moans and snarls. She pushed against me and rolled us around so I was leaning back against the wall as we pounded each other.

Bella's arms were wrapped around my neck, her mouth was buried into my neck as she nipped and licked at me. Then I felt her teeth pierce my marble skin as her nails raked down my shoulders. The stinging feeling was immediately followed my immense pleasure. I rolled around again and pushed Bella back up against the wall.

Time and place were lost as we continued to pleasure each other and fulfill one another. The couch was my favorite, until it broke. It had allowed me the opportunity to watch Bella's beautiful breasts bounce up and down in my line of vision.

I could hear Bella's thoughts flowing through my mind. _Harder… Mmmm, faster. More, please. More. More. More. Oh, please fuck me._ Her voice was whispering in my ear, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yesss…" The combination of the two nearly caused me to overload.

I stepped in front of the mirror so Bella could watch as I pleased her, and there was no doubt in my mind that I was pleasing her. I was behind her, my hips thrusting back and forth, one hand playing with her nipples while the other fondled her through her wet folds.

She closed her eyes and threw her head back onto my shoulder. I closed my own eyes and my mind was lost in Bella's dream once more. Her arousal smelled the same, just concentrated in her eternal body. Her blush and the heat of her humanity caused the lines to blur. I could feel my release building, the tightening in my stomach signaling my impending orgasm.

Bella's panting became more staccato and her arm reached around behind my neck and she grabbed my hair once more. Images of Marie stroking my hair invaded my thoughts and morphed with memories of a very human Bella.

Suddenly Bella's walls convulsed around me and she let out a blood-curdling scream. My confused stupor distorted my reality for that one brief moment when I was at my most vulnerable. As my dead seed spilled into Bella's frozen uterus I screamed out the name, "Marie."

Everything ceased at once. Bella's mind quieted suddenly and she became unearthly still. She wasn't breathing or even blinking. She had become a real living statue. I was panicked, hoping she hadn't noticed my blunder, but in the blink of an eye, I realized how wrong I was.

I caught a quick glance of the room as I sailed through the air and through one of the many windows. The room was in shambles, all the furniture was destroyed. My piano was in a heap and there were holes in the walls. Bella and I were both covered in drywall dust. In our zeal, we had forgotten our true strength and had nearly brought the room down around us.

That was the only thing I could catch before I crashed through the glass and sailed out into the yard. It would seem that Bella _did_ indeed hear my slip and wasn't entirely pleased with me at the moment. I could hear my family's thoughts.

_Holy shit! Did you see how far she threw him?_

_Oh my, I do hope the poor girl isn't too heartbroken._

_And everyone says _I'm_ a bitch._

_All this anger and guilt is making my head hurt. And the lust on top of it is driving me insane. I wonder; can vampires really go crazy?_

_I hope this doesn't cause another rift in the family. Esme wouldn't be able to handle it if she lost one of her children again._

_If only I would have seen it in enough time._

Great, the whole family was here to share in my shame. It was all too easy to pick out their mental voices by now. I was still too keyed up and I was extremely nervous about Bella, her thoughts were oddly quiet to me. I heard a throat being cleared behind me and turned around to find Alice standing there. Her hand was thrust out and she was holding a shirt and a pair of pants. Her other hand was covering her eyes.

**A/N I don't usually have a ending a/n but I needed one for this chapter. I want to sent a special creamy shot out to my lemontastic Beta who wrote my lemon for me. We had a very hard time keeping straight faces for this one. Specially with a flying naked Edward in the mix. Thanks Nan, luv ya BB, always. **


	17. Family that Plots Together

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Hey all thank you for all the great reviews for the last chapter. NanMcCullen is not just a beta but she is an awesome writer. A jack of all trades. Hey and she's hot too.. beauty and brains. Okay I've licked the hole enough. Luv ya bb. **

**Well here it is chapter 17, don't forget to vote for **_**Not Even Death**_**, in the Indie Twific Awards.**

**Chapter Seventeen: The Family that Plots Together**

I stopped short, just to a sudden halt. So sudden in fact that a cloud of dust rose up and it took a matter of seconds for it to disperse. What the hell was I running for? Yes he had called me another woman's name and I did send his ass flying out his own bedroom window, but I wasn't a runner.

I was braver then this. Running from a vampire that has been trapped in who knows where for fifty years. Plus in the fact that other woman was supposedly me. But it still does nothing for the ego. I was different then her. I was smarter, braver, and hell from the picture that Edward had, I had better skin. Shit if she was still alive I would kick her ass all over this great state of Washington. Of course I would be kicking my own ass, but hey She needed a swift kick as far as I was concerned.

I huffed loudly and planted myself on the ground. I was still naked and had no idea where I was going to get cloths from. There was no way that I was going to go into the Cullen house naked and have to deal with Emmett, possibly evoking the wrath of Rosalie. "What jealous Rose? I thought I caught some vampire cellulite on your ass this morning." I giggled to myself.

As fun as that would be then I would just have to see _him._ I'm pretty sure that he was beating himself up for tonight's _faux pas_, and to tell the truth that would just piss me off more. How dare he totally take way from my first sexual experience, as fantastic as it had been, and then get to beat himself up about it? Always guilty and sorry, but never thinking about others in his torment.

I swear I love Edward, but shit the man is more anal retentive then I've ever seen. I think that he was potty trained at gun point and he is too afraid to let go for fear of someone ramming that stick that's up his ass further. Afraid that he might like it too much. Stupid, sexy, name confused, masochistic vampire.

I sat there for a while trying to think about anything other then Edward. I started thinking about my current nude state. How in the hell did Adam and Eve do it? I mean I'm sure that Eve didn't lug around a pair of full "c" cup breasts and a fig leaf would give little support if she did. Adam…well let's not get started of him. Have you seen the size of a fig leaf? They're tiny.

Within my semi spiritual ponderings, that I was sure would get me struck by lightning, other things started pouring into my head. Thoughts of my father and the pain that he must have suffered from that psycho Tanya. She had kill that last of my humanity in one fail swoop. She had tried to kill me and forever keep Edward in a place separate from all. She had destroyed so many lives and she needed to pay.

I made a decision at that moment. That bitch was going to pay. I was going to take her down if it was the last thing that I did. She did not deserve the unnecessary breaths that she took. She didn't deserve to feed off the animals in the forest, and she didn't deserve to pollute this world anymore.

I could deal with the whole Maria thing later. I could deal with my feelings for Edward at any time over eternity. But the things that I had planned for that bitch would not wait. I would do my research and I will find her. My father had loved her and she threw that away with his life. That was unforgivable.

I made the decision that I would wait for Alice along the tree line for the clothes that I would need. Revenge naked was a little demeaning. I knew that she would see. Alice saw everything. I briefly wondered if she saw Edward and I having sex. As I moved through the trees, I wondered how I looked while I was in the throws (literately) of passion. Could I be porn star quality? You know the kind of lady in the street but a freak in the bed? Oh well, can't help but ask. Later though.

I made my way to the tree line and sensed Alice there. At first it was a weird sensation. I didn't smell her, nor hear or see her, I sensed her. It was like a prickle at the nape of my neck and I couldn't put my finger on it. I made a bee line to where she was standing and walked up behind her. "Hey Ali are those for me?" She shot around and looked like she had seen a ghost. She unconsciously placed her hand over her dead heart like she was about to have a heart attack.

"Shit you scared the hell out of me." She whispered.

"You didn't hear me?" I asked. I wasn't being quiet at all. In fact I broke several twigs just to make my presence known.

"No." She said. "I couldn't even get a read on you before to bring you clothes. It was just dark." She placed her small hands on her hips and took a stance. "Do you know how scary that was for me, not knowing where you were? Then all the sudden out of the blue I see us here with me giving you clothes. That's the only thing that kept me from sending out a damn search party. Putting your picture on milk cartons, 'Lost vampire' and 'Have you seen me' jeas louise Bella I swear."

I let her rant as I dressed in the fitted jeans and dark blue 'v' neck t-shirt that she brought me. I figured once she got it out then we could make our way back to the house. What I was not prepared was the fashion pixie throwing her arms around me and hugging me tightly. She was incredibly strong for how small she was.

"Bella you scared me." She whispered.

"I know Alice. I'm fine. I just needed time to figure out my next step." I sighed heavily running my fingers through my hair.

"With my brother?" She asked hopefully.

I chuckled, "No I'm just going to punch him in the face, but I will need your help. I'll need the whole family in fact."

"Tanya." She didn't make it a question but I nodded anyway. "Okay family meeting time."

I didn't realize that Alice was the mission impossible type but she looked like she was down for anything. I just hoped that the rest of the family was also. Plus I needed to bring up living arrangements. The Cullen's new house was just too small for the whole family. They needed a bigger space and since my house used to be their house anyway… might as well.

I guess that the family had heard us outside because when we came in they were already sitting at the dinning room table waiting for us. I looked around the room at everyone.

Carlisle and Esme sat next to each other looking like what ever was going to happen they had resigned to their fate. Jasper sat next to an empty chair the Alice slide into looking like he had swallowed something and it didn't sit well. I could only guess that he was getting the feeling from Edward who was sitting next to him.

I skipped looking at Edward and looked over to Rosalie. I vaguely remembered her holding me when we had gotten to my father's house that night. She had been kind and loving but now she looked indifferent looking at her freshly polished nails. I wished she could sleep so that I could file them down and give her a freak out.

Next to Rose sat Emmett. He had a huge grin on his face and he was looking directly at Edward. What I hadn't noticed before was that Edward flinched every time Emmett blinked. Oh well, what ever Emmett was showing him it wasn't bad enough.

I finally looked at Edward. He wouldn't meet my eyes and I suddenly saw red. I was briefly aware of Jasper going rigid before I had Edward pinned up against the wall, ensuring that he could see my face . He was much taller than I was but I was impressed that I had his feet dangling about a foot off the ground.

I saw fear in his eyes and I was pleased. There was no way he was going to get out of this in scathed. _Can you hear me, nod once for yes._ I thought.

He nodded so I began. _I am NOT Marie. Do you understand?_ He nodded again. _Good now you and I will have a very long talk about you loose tongue later but right now we have to deal with that bitch Tanya. If you say one I'm sorry I swear to god and all that is holy I will tear off your arm and beat you with it. Do you understand?_

If it were possible Edward looked greener and more pale then he did before, but he nodded. I slowly lowered him to the floor and made sure that he stood on his two feet. I know why I made him nod. I knew that the sound of his voice would set me off.

"Bella… I" But that was all that he could say before my right fist landed him right in the jaw with a resounding crack like to stones being thrown together. Edward hit the wall and slide to the floor on his ass.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY IT!" I screeched.

Edward sat there for a few seconds and then faster than I thought he was capable of moving he had me against the wall with my arms pinned to my sides. "I was going to say that I wanted you to sit next to me during the meeting." He said through clenched teeth.

Okay to say that I felt stupid would be an understatement. But was I going to give in? HELL NO. "Don't you get pissy with me Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, and get your hands off me." I seethed. With that he let me go and stomped like and insolent little child back to his chair.

I looked around the room at the family. Carlisle looked like a glimmer of a grin was trying to play on his lips. Esme looked worried. Alice and Jasper looked shocked. Emmett looked like he was eager to join in the fight. But my eye path stopped at Rosalie. She looked impressed, and shocked like she had been waiting for me to do something interesting for a long time. I nodded to her and she nodded back, with that respect had been given.

I chose to stand instead of sitting with Edward. He still had a pout on his face but other than that there was no emotion there what so ever. Internally I shrugged, he was free now to do what he wanted and if hating me made him feel better fuck it. He'd either get over it or he won't. On to business.

"How long were you guys staying in Edward's room at my house." All heads snapped to my direction in shock. "Come on guys, I'm a vampire now and I could smell you guys." I said.

"Well we were trying to protect you, especially after you told us about Tanya. It would have turned out badly if we hadn't… and looked what happened." Jasper said as he hung his head.

I decided to let it go. It wasn't important to be mad at them. I knew why they didn't tell me. I would have refused their help. We needed to get this party started. "First of all I need to know where the authorities think that I am."

"We told them that you were under Carlisle's care and that you had been at the house for about two days before the… incident." Esme said looking to make it easier to talk about. "They wanted to talk to you but we told them that you were heavily sedated because of what happened." She finished.

I nodded my head. "Okay well I think that you all should move into my house. There's more room and well it used to be your house anyway." I shrugged.

"We will buy it from you." Carlisle offered.

"No. I don't want your money, just having you all there would be enough. Plus I'm sure my father left me…"

"Nothing." Carlisle cut me off.

I'm sure the confusion showed on my face because he continued. "Your father was broke and when the will was read yesterday the only thing he left you was the house. Tanya got everything else."

I was floored for a moment. Then I was angry, then I was mad as hell. She had literately taken everything. That bitch.

"We'll offer you a great price and of course you are part of the family so you are always welcome to stay." Esme said. I could see the fear in her eyes. She thought I was going to leave. I walked to her and put my arms around her shoulders.

"Of course Esme, Thank you." I said and I meant it. I could feel the tension fall out of her body at my words. I walked over to the empty chair besides Edward. I needed to sit down. Edward placed his hand over mine on top of the table. I didn't have it in me to push him away. I needed comfort right now, and he was the closest.

"Okay, next on the agenda. Tanya." I said. Every one had known that this was coming and I could see them all tense up. But there was no turning back. This had to be dealt with. "She did some pretty awful things to this family and mine. No one has stopped her and I'm sorry but I have too. In fact we all have a duty to. She can not go on victimizing people for her own enjoyment, and I refuse to be an victim." I said pointedly.

"Hells Yeah, when do we get to start throwing bows." Emmett boomed with excitement. Rosalie nodded in agreement as did Jasper and Alice. Edward sat next to me stoic as ever.

But it was Carlisle that spoke up, "Bella, are you sure that you want to do this? There is no going back once you make this decision." He was scared for me. He was scared that I wouldn't be able to handle killing Tanya and so he was giving me an out.

I took a big breath trying to decide a diplomatic way of telling him that nothing would give me more pleasure then to kill that rotten bitch, some how I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate that. But before I could say anything Edward cut in.

"I'm sure that even if Bella doesn't I will." We all turned to face him. He was looking into my eyes and a million emotions played across his face. I nodded to him in understanding. She had taken a lot from him too. She had taken fifty years and locked him in a prison for his feelings.

"I'm sure too." I whispered. "But first we need recon."

Jasper's ears picked up and a grin spread across his face. "We need to speak with her coven in Alaska. And then the library. We need to find out what the hell she is packing'. Of course the library might be a small source but they might be able to at least point us in the right direction." He said as excited as Emmett had been about the fighting.

I looked across the table and saw faces that I had grown to love, and that loved me. More than that, they wanted nothing more then to help me with what I needed, and I felt the same way. They were strong, not just because they were vampires but because they were a family unit, and they made me part of it. "Okay let's get started." I said.

"We need a week." Alice said.

We all looked at her like she had three breasts. "Why?" I finally voiced the question that was floating in the air.

"That's how long it's going to take for you to get a hold on your vampire powers." She said and then she added with a smirk, "By the way, you're way better than a porn star, Bella." And with that she turned to leave the room.

Edward's head fell forward and his forehead struck the table with a resounding knock. I realized that my mouth was hanging open but was slow to close it. She had known what I was going to ask her. Then I felt a smirk cross my face, I was better then a porn star. I leaned over and whispered into Edward's ear, "I guess you have some thing to work towards." I licked his ear lobe and went to follow Alice.

We both stopped when Carlisle cleared his throat," speaking of sex." He said. Esme looked confused then she placed her hand on his arm, "We weren't dear." She whispered. Did I feel bad for making him think that he didn't satisfy me? HELL NO. That mother fucker had to work on his mouth skills. At least he could learn the meaning 'loose lips sink ships'.

Carlisle looked at his wife out of the corner of his eye sheepishly. "Alice dear? If you saw Edward naked in your dream why did you cover your eyes when you brought his clothes?"

This was news to me I looked at Alice as everyone in the room did. Well almost everyone Edward still had his head buried in his arms on the table. "Just because I had to see it in the vision once does NOT mean I want to see it twice in real life." She said after placing one hand on her hips and jaunted it out.

As we left the room to go do God knows what Emmett's booming laughter followed us.


	18. Author's Note

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**A/N: Okay you guys. I know that most of you hated the last chapter. I understand, no one likes Edward to be persecuted. What you all don't understand is that poor Bella has been through a lot over the last month and a half. First her mother and Phil die and she is in fear from the dreams that Edward is sending her. Then her father, Steven and Alma die, and to top it off Edward calls out someone else's name at her most vulnerable time. She is holding on to the anger because the pain is crippling. Just please hang in there she is not going to be uber-bitch much longer, I promise. **

**I'm glad that you all rallied around Edward (well most of you), there were some that were like take that Edward. Most of all thank you for your honesty, it's always appreciated.**


	19. Makeup Sex

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot though.**

**Okay, after the heated controversy of the last chapter, I hope that you all stick around to see what happens. For the fans that stuck up for Bella she says Thank you while sticking out her tongue at Edward. For all that ladies that stuck up for Edward He is running his hands down your cheeks thanking you for your compassion while glaring at Bella. **

**And to Maddie Edward says that he is looking into private islands if you would like to join him.**

**Now on with the story. **

**Chapter Eighteen: Make-up Sex**

"It's okay Bella, let's just try again." I was giving myself a headache with all the practice that we had been doing in the last week. During which Jasper and Alice were at the library everyday and Rosalie, Emmett and Esme were in Alaska speaking with Carmen and Eleazer. Carlisle and I were trying to get Bella to realize her full potential.

Of course she wasn't making it easy. It seemed like the more time that she had to look at me the more pissed she became. It started to hold her back from her ability somehow, but I wasn't giving up. In fact the more pissed she got the more I pushed, because if the truth be told I was getting just as pissed at her.

Bella struggled with the night that we had sex. I was beyond sorry for what I did, but the fact that she was letting it hold her back was starting to get on my nerves. My calling out Marie's name during my orgasm was between her and me. That was something that we needed to hash out, because if we didn't she was going to get us all killed not to mention the fact that we had no idea what the fuck we were up against. This had to stop and this had to stop now.

"Focus, Bella, on moving your shield. You have to focus so that Edward can read you." Carlisle was always the understanding one. We knew that she could do it but it seemed that she did it with strong emotion. Like the night when we made love or the night of the family meeting. Since then she had not been able to. "Bella, it's just like a muscle, you have to flex it in order to use it." He continued.

Bella sat on the ground in the yard with a blank stare on her face. It was like she wasn't even trying. And that's when it hit me. She wasn't trying. She didn't want me in her mind. That's when I snapped. I saw red and everything was focused on the little vampire in front of me.

"Do you think that this is a game?" I yelled at her.

"Edward…" Carlisle started but I cut him off.

"No Carlisle, she's not even trying. She's just sitting there being mad and we have been doing this for almost a week. She thinks that her pouting will benefit us some how. Is that what you think, Isabella? You think that you are going to pout Tanya to death? That's a fascinating ability. I'd _love_ to see how that works. Ohhh… wait if that worked I would be dead a hundred times over. I guess you'll have to pull something else out of your hat, then."

Carlisle and Bella looked at me shocked. It wasn't often that I broke from my gentlemanly ways and I knew that I should have found a better way of telling Bella what she was doing was wrong but I had it. Somehow, this girl was under my skin. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. What the hell was it with her? We had so much but she was throwing all away.

I turned to approach them both when I noticed that just Carlisle waited for me. "Were did she go now? I asked frustrated.

Carlisle pointed. "Find her and fix this Edward." Carlisle said sternly.

I huffed and took off. I flew through the tree tops following Bella's scent. I was above ground so as not to alert her to my presence. She was running at a high rate of speed. I briefly wondered if she could beat me in a race.

I stopped about a hundred yards from her. She was curled up in a ball at the base of a tall tree sobbing loudly. I watched as her whole body shook with the intensity of her sobs. I felt instantly bad for the way I had talked to her.

But it was short lived when she thought to me. _I swear Edward if you come any closer I will rip you to shreds and leave you to find your own body parts. _And that was going to be the last time she threatened me.

"You know, Bella, I have never hit a female before, but you are dangerously close to me shaking the shit out of you." I spat while dropping to the ground. This girl was going to push me too far.

"Edward, go away." She groaned.

"No." I said with finality. This had to end. "You have pushed and pushed. I understand that I did something unforgivable but do you have to destroy the family in order to punish me. Don't you think that they have been through enough?"

She stared at me for what seemed like hours. He red eyes watering with tears she would never shed. At that point she was more vulnerable then I had ever seen her. Even as a human, she was strong willed and hard minded, but now she just looked like she was about to fall apart. As a human she was always the one to be the voice of reason always looking at the logical side. She seemed older then her years but this last week I was seeing the nineteen year old that she was, and even worst then the she was as heartbroken as could be.

"Edward, it's all that I have." She whispered.

I lowered myself to the ground in confusion. What was all that she had? What was she talking about? "Explain please."

She rook a deep unneeded breath, "My anger. My mother and father are dead. Steven and Alma are gone as well. And now I find out that Tanya took everything else. Then I realize that I love you with every fiber of my being and you are still in love with someone else. Edward, my anger keeps me going. If I don't have it I fall to pieces." She finished and looked at the ground. She was trying not to let go and she was failing.

"My Bella," I whispered. "Look at me." She shook her head still trying to hold on to her furious state. But it was time for her to let it go. It was time for her to let me help her. It was time for her to realize that she couldn't do it by her self. I gently lifted her chin up till her red eyes were even with my golden ones." I know that kind of anger. I suffered from it too. I spent the better part of a decade fighting my demons when I was gone, breaking things just to see if Esme would come around the corner and scold me. I cursed myself for letting myself get trapped there in the first place. I was weak and in the state that I was in Tanya had me in her clutches. But you know what I realized?" she shook her head. "I realized that you can spend a decade breaking things because of your anger but you'll spend the next two decades putting things back together. In fact I'm still not sure I got that coffee table right." I mused.

It seemed that what I was telling her was sinking in, so I continued. "You're doing the same thing except instead of breaking objects your breaking people's hearts. Sometimes those can't be repaired."

We were silent for a long time. I was musing over my own words and she was thinking about all that I had said as well. We sat next to each other going over our own demons, trying like hell to chase them away. I really had destroyed the house over and over during my long incarceration. But I did it for Marie and to tell the truth I wasn't so sure about her anymore. I knew that she was a nice girl but how did I feel about her?

I looked to Bella. The girl who saved me in her dying moments. The girl who gave her whole self to me with no question before I shattered her. I needed to tell her. I needed to make sure that she understood. Only my love for her and her love for me together was enough to free me. For that I owed her my life. For that I owed her the love that she so desperately called out for when her back was broken and her breaths short. Carlisle had told me to make this right, and I needed to do just that. I needed to tell her how I felt.

"Bella there's something else. I'm not going to apologize for what happened the other day, because well, one you don't want to hear it and I kind of like my arm where it is…" She giggled at that and it was a magical sound. I would wait all eternity just to hear that sound from her again and again. "But I can say this." I got up on my knees in front of her and cupped her face in my hands so that she could see my face, "I love you. I'm in love with _you._ Not the ghost of the past."

She searched my face over and over biting her lower lip. I guess she found what she was looking for because she crashed her lips into mine with such force that she knocked me over and landed on top of me. When I lowered my hands to grip her waist she threw her arms around my neck.

Her lips were moving with mine in a perfect fit and I concentrated my entire mind on the way she felt against me. She ran her hands through my hair and gently tugged and scratched my scalp and a moan and growl escaped my lips as I grabbed the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

I opened my mouth and licked along her bottom lip begging for entrance. To my surprise she opened and with that our tongues were fighting for dominance. I rolled us over so that I was now on top of her, careful not to put to much weight on her. Our mouths danced together in an effort to express all of our feelings, but this wasn't enough, I needed to worship her. I needed her to know that she was it for me.

My pants were unbearably tight, and she was panting as I started to make my way down her neck, placing open mouth kisses from her jaw to her collar bone and back again. With every pass she just sighed and whimpered and I was elated that I could draw those noises from her.

I drew her earlobe into my mouth and twirled my tongue around it before whispering in her ear. "I'm going to make love to you Isabella. Would you like that?" At that point she started purring, and I had my answer.

I gently brought her hands from around my neck and held them above her head. I needed to get her shit off but I didn't want to rip it. As I continued to kiss her I pulled the hem of her shirt above her head and only broke it to get it from around her neck before ravaging her mouth with mine.

I made my way down the middle of her chest noting that the heaving from her breaths was so labored and the scent of her arousal was intoxicating. I kissed her left breast through her bra while gently kneading her right with my hand before reaching behind her to in clasp it and throwing the offending garment on top of her shirt.

Her breasts were glorious. I hadn't noticed before because I was blinded with passion but they truly were beautiful. Her very pink pert nipples pebbled before my eyes as I blew across them and quickly licked them tasting her skin in my mouth. "Uhn... Edward... please," she begged.

"Patience, my love," I whispered before bringing one of her nipples into my mouth, sucking hard while pinching and pulling the other one between my fingers, rolling it till it pebbled like the other. She moaned long and loud at this action while arching her back. She was so beautiful in the heat of passion.

I looked up to see her watching me with hooded eyes as I gave the other breast the same attention. "God, Bella, you are so sexy," I cooed. "I smell how aroused you are." I noticed that she had started rubbing her legs together to try and get some friction where it was needed. "Can I touch you, Bella?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes.. Please Edward." Her hips started bucking in anticipation of my touching her and I smirked at her before stilling them. She was so ready for me; I needed her to feel the love that I felt for her. I popped the button on her jeans and drew down the zipper slowly listening to the teeth unlatch one at a time. I knew that Bella could hear it too because if it were at all possible her breathing became more heavy that the scent of her arousal became stronger.

She lifted her hips to me as I pulled her jeans and panties down her glorious legs. I gasped at the woman that lay before me. She was fully naked and her hair was fanned out like a halo around her head. She was the most amazing creature that I had ever seen. It was almost enough to bring long dried tears to my eyes.

I raised her leg and started laying open mouth kissed all the way down to her center. Her arousal was seeping out of her as she glistened with her want.

"You're so went for me, love," I whisper in awe. I did this to her. Her love for me did this to her.

"Yes only for you." She purred.

Her words struck me. "Only for me? Then let go my love. Enjoy."

I ran my finger up her wet folds, and her hips bucked back against it. Venom pooled in my mouth and I just had to taste her. As she watched me I put my finger to my lips and licked her off on me. I was in heaven if it were possible. She tasted glorious, for humans it would be like chocolate, with a perfect bouquet and luscious taste. "My God, Bella, you taste so fucking good. I need more." I lowered my mouth to her folds and licked from top to bottom, moaning with every pass.

I focused on her bundle of nerves that was swollen with need. That made her cry out and her hips started to rotate in synch with my tongue. "More Edward. I need more." She moaned.

I pushed one finger into her, thrusting in and out while curling it up towards me. "More Edward please" she begged so I added a finger and stated pumping into her with earnest. I was marveling at the fact that she was telling me what she needed. Her breaths were getting shallower and shallower and I knew that she was close. "That's right, my Bella, let it go. Cum for me, scream for me." I demanded while I continued to trust into her with my fingers. I could feel her tightening and loosening around my hand.

"Unh Edward.. I'm so… Oh God… EDWARD!" she screamed out as he orgasm took over her and I watched in perfect fascination as her back arced and she let her release ride her out.

By the time she opened her eyes I had removed all me clothes and was in between her legs. I knelt on my haunches and pulled her off the ground. She instantly wrapped her legs around my waist. "Are you ready for me, my Bella?" I asked her.

"Edward, make love to me. I need to feel you inside me." She whispered in my ear. I crashed my lips to hers and as our mouths fought for dominance once again I slide into her, both of us moaning at the feel of our joining.

I grabbed her hips and started to thrust up into her while pulling her down onto me. This position made it so that I was deeper in Bella then I ever had been before. "God.. so deep.. so perfect." I grunted. I also reveled in the fact that we fit together so perfectly. I glanced down between us to watch myself sliding in and out of her. It was erotic to see my member glistening with her wetness and arousal. She was so tight and wet and I had made her this way. I was at home within her, I felt whole, and the completeness brought the venomous tears to my eyes, tears that would never fall. She was mine.

"Yessss." She hissed.

I was getting close and I knew that she was too. I lowered my hand in between us, never stopping the penetration that I was achieving for a second, and started tickling her clit with my thumb. I buried my head in the crook of her neck and open my mouth and pressed my teeth to her skin, "Ohhhh Edward I'm so clos…." But she never finished her sentence before my teeth sliced into her neck and another orgasm racked through her body causing her to shake and milk me till my own orgasm followed soon after.

I low growl started in my chest as the orgasm shot electricity from my toes to the tips of my hair, ending in a loud snarl so intense that I buried my face back in the crook of Bella's neck and bite her again sending her into orgasm for the third time. Then we collapsed on the ground together.

I rolled us over till we were on our sides facing each other. I watched as Bella struggled to calm down and she opened her eyes to me. I gasped with the intensity that was revealed there. "Bella," I didn't have the words to tell her how I felt. There weren't enough words in the world to say what I was feeling.

But then something struck me. When I had been kissing my Bella I was so comfortable with the way we fit together. I could Kiss Bella for ever, but I had been thinking just recently about the way it had felt to kiss Marie. I had felt wrong, off some how. It was like we didn't fit at all. How the hell did that work.

I hadn't realized that I was lost in my musing until I felt Bella rubbing my forehead with her small fingers. "What are you thinking?" she asked.

This was a loaded question. If I told the truth then I'm thinking about another woman right after the best sex of my life. If I lie then I'm lying to the woman who won and deserved my affections. The truth was always best.

"Bella, you know that I love you right?" I said sitting up on my elbow and running my hand through her hair.

"You know that when you start a conversation like that it always turns out bad right?" She countered.

I chuckled. "Yes well I need to tell you what I was thinking about, but I need you to know that the reason I was thinking it was because of you." I said.

She nodded, "Continue." She said.

"Well I was thinking about how good it felt to kiss you. And the other day I was thinking about my kiss with Marie." She stiffened at my side. "Wait… Wait.. Please listen before you get mad." She took a deep breath so I went on.

"The kiss with her felt, well… wrong. It felt forced like I wasn't suppose to be doing it. I'm not sure how to explain it other than that." I finished peeking at her hoping not to find her angry.

Instead of anger I found confusion. "I don't understand, Edward."

I took a deep unneeded breath," I'm not sure either, Bella, but what I think is that I need some answers. I don't think that I was supposed to be with Marie, I think that I was always supposed to be with you."

"But..."

"I know you are supposed to be Marie, but what if you're not? What if I wasn't supposed to be with Marie in that form but instead I was supposed to be with you now? You see Bella…" I said as I was sitting up and next to her while running my hand back and forth over her perfect stomach. "While I was pining for Marie all those years ago I was confused. She was nothing that I liked, well except for her being a brunette." I said flipping her hair at her. "Of course I wrote it off as never being with anyone before. I mean, how was I supposed to know what I liked when I had never liked anyone? I struggled with that for a long time, all the while I felt like I was being pushed to her. Not drawn, pushed." With that something clicked.

"Bella love, get dressed we need to go talk to Carlisle. I think that we have something with this."

As I slipped on my shirt I could have sworn that Bella mumbled something about having more make-up sex. I silently promised myself that we would if I had to pick fights for it to happen. Bella had been marked as my mate. She was mine come hell or high water and no matter what she was going through at the time I would either fight her or love her, whichever she needed.


	20. Bloodlines

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Hey all. Before I get started I needed to send out some thank yous. The first is to my all mighty Beta and close friend NanMcCullen, you rock bb, you know I love you. The second goes to Slyt, who read this story in one day and reviewed every chapter with enthusiasm. Thank you Slyt, you are bad ass.**

**So here you all are the next installment.**

**Chapter Nineteen: Bloodlines**

"Bella, I'll meet you in the study. I need to go find out where Alice is." I nodded at him as he made his way around all of the boxes effortlessly. Esme, Jasper, and Emmett had been working on getting the house packed up for the last couple of days. We were moving across town, back to my house. Rosalie and Alice were remodeling the third floor, turning it into three new rooms, two bedrooms and a shared bath. We didn't need the rooms but they thought that it would be better if I was closer to Edward.

In between trips to the house everyone was also stopping at the town library, researching and trying to figure out what Tanya was. Jasper was studying the history portion while the rest of us worked on the lore aspect of our mystery. When we were not practicing with my gifts, Edward would surf the net looking for anything that might help. Still we had nothing. Emmett and Rosalie returned from Alaska with news that the house in Denali was empty. This news struck Carlisle as peculiar. In almost one hundred and twenty years the Denalis had not moved, he wondered what had spurred this exodus.

I walked up to the door that led to Carlisle's study and raised my fist up to knock. I had been very shitty to him in the last four days. Edward had been right on that front. I had been punishing the family for something that was out of their control. They didn't know what was going to happen to my family, they couldn't have known what Tanya was doing the whole time. Most of all they had no control over Edward's reaction. I wasn't entirely sure he had any control. But the way that I had treated this compassionate man was wrong of me.

I took a deep breath and knocked. "Come in Bella." I opened the door to find him standing behind his desk smiling brightly at me. "I was wondering if you were going to stand out there all day." He said with a snicker.

I let out the breath that I had not realized I had been holding. "I was… well I needed to apologize to you. I was acting like a child and I'm so sorry." I dropped my chin to my chest, staring at the floor. With every word I wished that I could get closer to the floor and bury myself in my shame.

I was startled when Carlisle's voice sounded from right beside me. "Bella, there is no need to apologize. We all have things that cripple us with emotion. You're new to this life; emotions run stronger in a newborn vampire. You weren't just grieving, you were angry as well. We all understand. There is nothing to forgive." The look in his eyes was almost painful. He understood me, he cared for me, and it weighed on my subconscious, but it was also very comforting.

"Thank you." I whispered.

The door to the study opened and Edward walked in along with Alice. She looked excited and the smug smile on her face was enough to bring one to mine. Could she know what happened in the forest? That thought was enough to make me smirk at her and wiggle my eyebrows. Jealous? She shrugged and spoke. "Are we interrupting?" she sang, skipping by me and gracefully lowering herself into one of the arm chairs in the room. She leaned back and threw her legs over the arm.

"No, we were waiting for you guys." I answered.

"What can I do for you all?" Carlisle asked.

Edward wasted no time jumping in to his thoughts.

_**Flashback (fifty-two years)**_ _**EPOV**_

_Carlisle had promised me that I wouldn't have to deal with her anymore, but here she was. Tanya sat in the corner watching me move in all of the boxes of LP's that I had collected over the years._

_Tanya, Irina, and Kate had shown up at the old house in Forks under the ruse that they wanted to help us with the move, but as far as I had seen Tanya had not lifted a finger to help in anyway. The only thing that she did do was leer at me every time I passed by her._

_She was blocking her thoughts from me, as were her sisters. That was a red flag all in itself. But I kept quiet and to my self. I had enough on my mind. School would be starting for us in a month. Carlisle was starting at the Forks clinic next week and we all were to spend the next month "moving in" to the house. _

_We would spend the next month becoming acclimated to the smells of the humans in the area. For our newest members, Alice and Jasper, we had more trouble. Not so much from Alice, because she had been a vegetarian since she woke from her transformation, but Jasper had spent the last two hundred years as a human drinker. The change in lifestyle was very hard for him. Every night we hunted trying to slate his thirst so that he could attend school with the rest of us._

_In other words I had no time for Tanya and her games. Even though I knew that they were coming, Jasper was my first priority. _

"_Eddie, please take a break and come sit with me." She called as I sat down another box of records._

"_Tanya how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Eddie?" I asked through clenched teeth. "Another thing is that we are vampires, we don't need breaks." I said while making my way back to the stairs, to quickly make my escape._

_This went on for two weeks. She followed and tried her best to seduce me at every turn. This was nothing new, but it was a first to happen in my own home. I had no sanctuary, no way to get away from her. I was miserable. _

_Thank god for Carlisle, even his compassion was endless. At first he watched with hope that I would see that Tanya wanted me and I would 'conform', but then as my depression got deeper he took matters into his own hands. _

_It was the day that I threatened to move. I wasn't sure where I was going but I knew that if she was going to be here, I was leaving. Family be damned, I needed my sanity. I told Carlisle that I was going hunting and that when I got back I was leaving._

_When I returned Tanya was waiting for me. "You think that you can just ignore me and turn everyone against me?" She asked. I looked at her and realized that it was the first time in a week and a half that I had done so. "You'll be sorry Edward. You'll fall in love and she won't want you. You'll be in so much pain that you will beg me to love you." She lamented._

_Then her facial expression changed. She looked more evil than I had ever seen her. "You mark my words, Edward. She will be out of your league and you will be unhappy." With that she and her sisters left, I hoped for a long time. It would be two years before the next time that I saw her._

_The next week was weird for me. I had been through school time after time but I was excited about this time. I wasn't sure why but I felt like I needed to be there. The week that I started was the week that I met Marie._

_**End of Flashback**_

We all sat in silence when Edward finished the telling of his story. I sat there thinking about everything that he had said. I was sure that Carlisle was kicking himself in the ass for his lack of intervention on Edward's behalf. Alice sat looking horrified at how Tanya had acted.

I was the first to break the silence, "So what you said about you being pushed to Marie and not pulled to her? What do you mean?" I asked.

Edward lowered himself into the other arm chair in the room. He was looking at the pristine wood floor and took a deep breath before he answered. "I think Tanya did it to me. I think that she was messing with me before the mirrors. I think that she set Marie up, as well as me." He said.

"But how?" I asked. I knew that Vampires had gifts but I had never heard of anything like this.

"I think that I have the answer." Jasper stood in the doorway of study with two vampires that I didn't know.

"Eleazar, Carmen, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you all to Forks?" Carlisle made his way to them with arms extended. The couple embraced him with no hesitation and entered the room. Jasper had already picked up Alice and placed her in his lap in the arm chair.

"I'm sorry, my old friend, for coming unannounced, but we need your help, as well as you need ours. We have information that you all may need." He said holding his mate Carmen to his side.

"It's no problem. We are at a loss as of right now so your help is welcomed. May I introduce the newest member of the family? This is my daughter, Bella." Carlisle said gesturing for me to step forward.

Eleazar's eyes pierced mine and a knowing look crossed his face. I felt naked standing there but unable to turn away. It was like he was looking into my very soul. "Hello." I mumbled finally able to lower my eyes.

"A shield and an antenna. Remarkable." He said in awe.

"Excuse me."

"You, my child, are a mental/physical shield and an antenna. You are a very powerful vampire indeed." He said. "We'll talk later." He whispered with a wink.

I wasn't sure how I felt about that but there were more important things that we had to work out. I walked over to where Edward was sitting and lowered myself into his lap. He instantly curled himself around me, like it was choreographed that way. I fit perfectly with him. I was safe.

Carlisle sat behind his desk and looked at the last of the Denali coven. He looked troubled as we all sat looking at them. "I think you had better explain what's going on." He said.

But Eleazar shook his head, "I think that we should let young Master Jasper go first." I briefly wonder how old he was that he could call Jasper, who was over two hundred years old, young.

Jasper stood up and lowered his wife back into the chair. Alice didn't even look tousled. It was so fluid. She looked up and looked at me before smirking and wiggling her eyebrows at me. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know that she was thinking "Jealous?" I shrugged and we let our attention fall on Jasper.

"What do you all know about the Salem Witch Trials?" He asked

"Well, the humans thought that a group of four sisters were practicing the craft. In order to deflect suspicion they gave the names of many innocent woman and girls as witches and a total of fifteen were killed as a result." Carlisle accounted. Of course he was over three hundred years old he was probably there. "It was a dark time in this country." He finished shaking his head.

Over the last week I had learned of his father, a preacher and zealot who persecuted the innocent looking for the monsters. The preacher was turning into the monster that he taught his congregation to fear, and the only thing that saved him was old age. I could only imagine the thoughts that passed through Carlisle's head, how many times he had seen zealots like his father kill the innocent and let the true monster get away, again much like his own father.

"Yeah, that's how the story goes, but a lesser known story is what happened to the sisters after the trials happened." Jasper finished. We all looked at him expectantly. "Well, they disappeared. But also they were taken in by the family that they lived with. They were wanderers."

"Okay, But I'm not sure how this relates to Tanya." Edward interjected.

"I'm getting there. Over the years the puritans tried to get rid of the records that covered that dark time. There was a family, the Maxen family. They lost two of their line in the trials and blamed the sisters. Turned out the one of the sisters was in love with one of the sons. His name was Jebidiah Maxen. He didn't return the affections and this angered her. He was betrothed to a girl in town and unlike most arranged marriages, he loved her. During the trial the girl was the first to be declared a witch. Jebidiah killed himself the next day claiming to not want to live in a world where she didn't. The girl wasn't." He paused and took a breath before going on, "The family moved from the colony taking with them all accounts of what had happened, including drawn pictures."

Jasper pulled out a small tattered book from the small of his back. "I had to steal this from the rare books section at the library.

This piqued my interest, "They have a rare books section at the library?" I asked.

"Focus, love." Edward whispered in my ear.

"Oh sorry." I mumbled.

Jasper opened the book to the page he needed and passed it to Carlisle who gasped and passed it to the remaining Denali, who shook their heads. Alice declined to look and so it was passed to Edward and me.

At first I didn't realized what I was looking at. It was a drawn picture of four young girls. They were lovely in the drawing so they must have been beautiful in real life. But then one caught my eye. Even though her hair was different, but it was… Tanya, in all her glory. I wasn't sure about the other three, but I knew that one was Tanya.

I sat up instantly somber, "Who are the other three?"

Edward answered, "That one is Irina and that one is Kate. I'm not sure who the other one is."

"Victoria." Carmen whispered. "Her name is Victoria. She used to visit over the years. She had a mate, a tracker named James, they were nomads. Over the last seventy years or so they had added one more to their ranks. His name is Laurent. Irina was taken with him." Her voice was shaken and weak. She was scared.

"Maybe this should be the time to tell us what you know." Carlisle said to them.

Eleazar looked at his wife and she nodded. I could understand their reluctance. They had spent years with three of these women; they had become family to them.

Eleazar looked at each of us respectively, "After Alice and Jasper joined your family and you all moved back to forks in the fifties, the girls left home for a while. Irina and Kate returned but Tanya stayed away. They said that she was searching for something and would return when she found it. Irina and Kate submerged themselves in research. They never told us what they were looking for but when we would ask if they needed help they would brush us off. From time to time Tanya would return for a couple days only to leave just as suddenly. Carmen and I suspected something but we never had any proof. Weird smells in the house, candle wax in their rooms. But after Edward disappeared that's when things got really strange. Tanya only returned when you all were coming to visit." Eleazar was running his hand up and down his wife's arm; at first glance it you would have thought that he was trying to comfort her but I thought that maybe it was comforting to him also.

"You can't think that they are…" Edward said trying to pick thoughts out of their heads.

"All I know," Eleazar said, cutting him off, "is that we don't know who sired them. They say nothing of there human pasts. It's possible."

I was confused. What was possible. "What are you all taking about?" I asked getting a little pissed at being kept in the dark.

"Witchcraft." The both said in unison.

"What? There's no such thing. The wiccan faith is all about the earth and stuff. There is no such thing as the craft." I said.

"And just two months ago you thought that there was no sure thing as vampires and here you sit, as a vampire." Carlisle said with a touch of annoyance in his voice.

"Touché." I said.

"There's more," Jasper said looking nervous.

I felt Edward stiffen behind me. I could only guess that he was reading something in Jasper's mind. "The Maxen bloodline survived for a hundreds of years before and after the trials. I tracked the line but in the early 1900's they died out. They changed the name over the years…" Jasper looked uncomfortable, like he swallowed something that didn't agree with him. "Apparently the last birth to the line was one Edward Anthony Masen Jr."

We all spun around and looked at Edward. He was staring at Jasper and Jasper at him. Edward's lineage was part of the trials. "But that's not the 'it.'" Jasper continued. "For over a thousand years every time there was an atrocity committed, Edward's linage was right in the middle of it… including during a time in England when vampires were hunted." He looked up knowingly at Carlisle. "The name then was Marks."

Carlisle looked at Edward, "You're a descendant of Nigel Marks? He was a deacon of my father's church until my father thought that he was a vampire. My father let Nigel's pregnant wife go but…" He didn't have to finish his sentence we knew what his father had done.

We all sat in silence till Carlisle spoke again, "I remember that Nigel had a son. His older son. I remember because I was helping with the arrangements for his wedding. It was a big to do because the girl was a common girl whose mother died. The son's name was Nicholas. He was in a great hurry to get married, I remember that. Apparently there was another girl pining for his affections, but he would not even turn his head to her." Carlisle looked like he was back in his own time. His eyes were glazed over as he struggled to remember what had happened.

"The night of the raid Nigel and his son were killed. Nicholas was trying to protect his father and was murdered. Nigel was set on fire." His voice was becoming hoarse and the anguish was written all over his face. Some how I knew that he had been there that night, and it had followed him for all these years. "The girl leapt to her death the next day, never wanting to live without him." His hands balled into fists and he pressed them to his mouth trying to hold in the sobs that I could see trying to escape.

Esme burst through the door and ran to her husband's side. She dropped to her knees and enveloped him in her arms whispering soothing words to her husband. The love that they shared was epic, rarely showed but often felt. They were beautiful together. They gave me hope.

But what the hell? Whatever was going on it all circled around Edward. This all had to do with the man that I loved. From the beginning it all started with Edward. I wasn't sure how this all connected but I needed to work it out. But there was a question that had to be asked. "Carlisle can you tell me how your father knew about vampires?"

"He said that he was visited by a yellow haired angel." HE said before rising and leaving the room. I had a feeling I knew who that yellow hair angel was, and was betting she was a devil in disguise.

Edward's bloodline had been wracked with tragedy. I walked around the room absentmindedly fingering the book that Jasper had brought into the room. I was unemotionally flipping the pages, thinking about how this was all connected. How could this all affect my Edward and this family so much? Then I looked down.

I gasped and dropped to the ground. Edward was instantly by my side, his words a jumbled mess. All I could do was stare at the drawing that sat before me. The drawing was of one Jebidiah Maxen and his betrothed Margret Swanson, it was a drawing of Edward and me.


	21. Buckets Of Tears

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own this plot.**

**Hey all. Special thanks to my gorgeous, young looking and very smart and witty beta NanMcCullen, she has a mind frame that can only rival mine. It makes my husband scared. Also thanks to all of you guys that are reading and reviewing. It lets me know that I might have something with this story.**

**A special thanks to my husband for being my back up beta so that I can occasionally surprise Nan with a chapter here and there.**

**So here we go with chapter 20.**

**Chapter Twenty: Buckets of tears**

Revelations are not always easy to come by when you're a vampire. Yes your thinking process comes faster and your able to process information faster than it can get to you, making us by far the most impatient creatures on the planet. But as I sat on my couch, I was doing the one thing that was always our down fall. I was over-thinking. And for me it was like an ailment.

But even for me there were things that I just couldn't wrap my head around. Witchcraft, reincarnation, fate, destiny, were just some of the things on my list. Bella was also very high up there, but for right now I truly needed to process all that had fallen into my lap over the last day.

It seemed that my family was trying to tell me that destiny was throwing Bella and I back together over and over again. You would think that Destiny would give up after the first few times that we died either by the hand of others or ourselves. But no. I met Bella twice in a lifetime. What are the odds? That's where fate steps in making sure that we were letting destiny have a reach around in honor of fucking us in the ass repeatedly. No kiss, no KY, just raw dogging us after donkey punching us to have it's way.

To say that I was pissed and confused would be an understatement. But to top it off Bella was no where around for me to rant to. She had to go off and think by herself.

After we convened our impromptu meeting, Bella took off like a shot through the forest. She had been as shocked as I was to see the drawing of the two of us during the Salem Witch Trials, and like myself, she was having a lot of trouble taking it all in.

Alice had been the one to stop me from following her. Through Alice's mind, I could clearly see that Bella was going to the place that we had made love to ponder what was going on. Shit, I was a vampire, over a hundred and eight years in age, and it was a ton. So I let her go and the family and I finished moving the rest of our belongings into the Cullen House, or as the town folk called it 'The Mayor's House'.

I was sitting in my old room that had been made smaller by my sister and mother to accommodate Bella. There was a new bathroom and new bedroom that was so seamless that it looked like it had been part of the house all a long. They had painted and decorated her room beautifully, in earthy blues and browns. Bella was going to love it.

The new half that was my space was decorated in my normal gold and blacks. I rather liked it like this. It was cozier, just room enough for my things. Of course the new piano that I had ordered would have to go somewhere else in the house, but I was sure that Esme had worked it out already.

While I sat on the couch there was one thing that I kept coming back to. This thought made me laugh as morbid as it was. Tanya was a stalker. In fact, she was such a stalker that she could give lessons on experience. The girl had followed my line for one thousand years. Followed me for one thousand years. And still it never occurred to her that I didn't want her in any life. How thick could you be?

I thought about her determination, and shivered at the thought that if this didn't end well I might have to go through it all over again. In another life, in another time. Problem was I was the last of my line. There would be no more Masens, or Marks, or Maxens - that would be it. I was her last chance, and she had failed, again. One thousand years of failure can't be good on the psyche.

I was roused out of my thoughts by none other then Jasper. "Hey Edward, I was thinking about earlier and I thought maybe we could bounce off ideas to see what we come up with." He said timidly. He knew that I liked to think about things on my own but, after fifty years of brooding by your self a little thinking companion was welcomed.

"What on your mind?" I asked.

"It's just this thing that I have yet to understand. Why you?" He looked up at my apologetically trying not to offend me, but asking the question that was on everyone's mind anyway.

I ran my hands through my hair and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm not sure. I think maybe she's just that narcissistic. I have no feeling towards her, yes she's pretty but not something that I would chase after. I think that's why, I'm a challenge to her."

"Dude a thousand years is a long time for someone to hold a torch." He said.

"I know but in every life I seem to be taken with another. She can't handle it." I shrugged. "And can we please not talk about torches." I cringed after the talk about burning at the stake and vampire hunts.

"Sorry man. But why hasn't she just started over?" That was my question too. Why had she kept me alive?

"Because he's the last." Both Jasper and I looked over to the doorway where Alice stood waiting for an invitation to enter. I nodded to her and she danced her way over to sit on the floor next to Jasper.

"What do you mean Alice?" I knew I was the last but I didn't understand what she meant. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. "Ohhhh." I exclaimed.

Jasper was looking at us both with a look of puzzlement on his face. He still hadn't put it together yet. I gestured to Alice to continue. "Edward won't be reincarnated again, he's the last of his bloodline. She can't start over because Edward was an only child." She said while playing with a string on my carpet.

I remembered how lost I had felt when Marie died. I had wanted to end it all, leaving this existence, not wanting to live without her. I had pushed for the family to let me be destroyed and be done with it, but of course they had refused.

"You were out hunting the day that Tanya came to the house." I began. "I was huddled in the corner wishing for death, cursing the impossibility of my life, and mourning the loss of Marie. Tanya came in and lowered herself in front of me. She asked if I would let her make me better, and I begged for her to kill me. Tanya just shook her head at me. She had intensity in her eyes that I had never seen before from her." I trailed off.

I had never told anyone of the exact circumstances of my imprisonment. Not even Bella. It was hard to recount. I had let myself become so vulnerable, so lost that I would beg anyone to help me die. "Love me. She said. And I could feel the shock on my face. Even in my grief she still pursued me." I looked up at them, meeting both Alice and Jasper in the eyes. "I told her I couldn't, that I would never love her, and the anger that passed was unmistakable. She yelled and screamed, pulling at her hair, raking her nails down her face. 'Then you will be stuck until you do' she screamed at me and then all went black." I took a shaky breath.

"I opened my eyes and she was gone, but something was off. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but she was always there. Talking to me through the mirrors. Telling me that the only way out was to love her. I was ready to give in but then something amazing happened. I found a fourteen year old girl, and instantly had a connection to her." I finished smiling at them.

Alice got off the floor and encircled my with her little arms. "I'm so sorry Edward that you had to go through that." She quietly sobbed quietly into my neck. But then a thought occurred to me.

"No Alice, I had to go through that. If I hadn't I would have found a way to end myself. Forty-five years is a long time to wait for a fourteen year old girl. I would have lost Bella even before I met her. She would have been alone in this world never knowing true love and settling. Alice, in a way Tanya did me a favor." I said looking into her eyes with all sincerity. "It just sucks that after I thank her I'm going to have to kill her." I finished with a sinister smirk on my face.

"Well I will have to shake her hand before I rip it from her wrist then." Alice's expression matching my own. But some how hers was much more menacing and for a second I thanked which ever god there was that I wasn't on her bad side.

We sat in relative silence for a while. I could still hear there thoughts but I was able to block them as much as possible to be able to think clear for myself. The things that I wanted to know there were not answers too. I remembered a longtime ago Tanya telling me the story of her change. She had said that 'the old one' as she had called him had been collecting beautiful girls and that was how she met Irina and Kate. She had never mentioned a Victoria to me at all. "But what if she knew them before." I mused out loud.

Jasper's head shot to face mine but before he could ask about my train of thought, Alice's body became rigid. Her body straightened out and she started make a strange meowing sound in the back of her throat. With wide eyes and the most horrific look I had ever seen come across her beautiful face she started clawing at her throat, her nails leaving tears in her marble flesh.

In a flash Jasper and I were by her side. "Alice honey… Alice!" Jasper called before looking to me for answers. My mind was already in motion. The vision was in pieces, like flashes or shots that had been put together but didn't match. _ Bella sitting in the forest, Bella looking at someone off into the tree, fear in Bella's eyes, then flames and purple smoke so thick I felt I had to cough to clear it, and a bag being placed on the front porch._

Over and over these images flashed faster and faster through Alice's mind before there was nothing. Blackness. There was nothing to see, not even her own thoughts. But Alice hadn't moved. Her wounds started to close up but her hands were still in claws resting at her sides. Her eyes were still wide with shock and pain.

"BELLA!" I screamed, running from the room, not even taking notice to the fact that my whole family including the last of the Denali where there. Not caring if Alice was alright, my mind went feral with the thoughts of saving my Bella. I heard growls from behind me. I didn't know that they were coming from me, I was moving so fast that that even my growls had to catch up to me.

I made it to the front door and swung it open before I was stopped….

**BPOV**

What ever happened to the days when the most of my worries were pimples that appeared out of thin air. Or when I was distraught that my favorite book was missing just to find it in the freezer where I had absentmindedly placed it before making dinner the day before.

Now I had a whole different set of problems. Problems that would drive the sanity running and screaming from a persons mind. But no, now I'm a vampire and I should be able to handle it. I'd like to meet the being that wrote that rule book so that I could kick his ass. Repeatedly. Without prejudice. Did I mention that I was going to kick his ass, repeatedly?

I was sitting next to the tree that Edward had found me at earlier. Somehow I felt safe here. Of course it could have something to do with the fact that we had made love in this very spot. I figured that if I was going to think about deep shit I might as well be where I felt Edward, without him being to close by.

Reincarnation: To be made flesh again. That's what Webster's said. What he never said was that once you were made flesh again you had to put up with the shit that your past life left behind. But that wasn't the worst, because you had to do it without knowing what it was from the last life. It was like playing an intricate game without knowing the rules and just learning as you go along. So if your lucky you might figure it out before your time is up, so that you don't fuck yourself for the next life.

And boy did I get a doozy. Not only did I have to deal with having been burned at the stake once, flinging myself from a medieval high-rise, and who knows how many other countless times I died over the last thousand years, wait I got one, death by vampire. But I had to deal with a psycho vampire/witch intent on mating with my boyfriend, if that's what he really was. I have to deal with the ghost of my past self to said boyfriend, because I was just so lucky enough to have been reincarnated twice in his lifetime. If I had money I would play the lottery to see just how much I could lose. Plus there was the fact that said boyfriend is a vampire and my sire to top shit off.

To say that I had issues and situations would be an understatement. I had the world on my shoulders and the only thing that I could think to do was kill something, and I had a feeling just who I wanted to kill. Tanya. If I ever got my hands on that skank, there would be no more issues.

But as I sat there something else came to my mind. This was the last time. There would be no reincarnation after this one. I was the last. I had no siblings, no family to have more children. I'd have to research my family line but I was pretty sure that I was a descendent of all the families down the line that the other girls in the past Edwards lives. So that would mean that I was a descendent of Marie.

With that thought came another. Edward was the last of his bloodline too. Which means that if something happened to him he wouldn't be reincarnated again either. We were vampires that meant that we were it. There would be no off spring. We had to get it right this time. It was our last chance to be together.

Then something occurred to me. Tanya had already worked this out. That was why she trapped him instead of killing him. She knew that he would not return. That bitch trapped him so that she could keep him forever.

I was fuming in my epiphany when I felt like some one was watching me. I scanned the trees and sniffed the air trying to pinpoint where this feeling was coming from. I saw nothing and smelled just the musk and rotting leaves of the forest. But the feeling was still there, raising the hair on the back of my neck. It was warning me of… danger.

I slowly and as nonchalantly rose from the ground and started to root around with my foot on the ground. Trying to look like I was still lost in thought, while trying to zero in on my new vamp sense, but still nothing moved. The forest was quiet, not even a breeze to rustle the leaves on the trees.

I thought about making my way back to the house. I thought about going and exploring the feeling more. But my ponderings were stopped short by various giggles that floated to me and around me. I wouldn't be going anywhere, I was surrounded.

"Bella." Someone called from my left.

"Bella" Someone called from my right.

"Bella" Right in front of me.

"Bella!" Behind me.

The trees seem to move. They were swaying from side to side. And I was getting pissed off. This was something right out of those horror movies that I had refused to watch with Renee as a child. "Alright cut all the parlor tricks bitches I'm not impressed." I called making my self look as pissed as I was, not knowing if I was pulling it off.

The trees around me were still swaying but the giggling got louder. They were coming, they were going to come at any moment and I was alone. I silently prayed that Alice was watching. I cursed myself for not trying harder when Edward and Carlisle tried to teach me to control my abilities. Damn nineteen year old hormones.

The trees started to part. I mean like the red sea. Like they were bowing to some unseen deity. I spun around slowly in a circle to see four perfect arches the same as the one before me. I was stunned, in awe for a fraction of a minute of the raw power that swirled around me and worked the forest before me. Then I sobered up, I lowered my self into a crouch and readied myself for this confrontation.

Before me stood Tanya and three other women. They were all beautiful - one with fiery red hair, one with brown straight hair, the last had blonde wavy hair. Three with eyes as golden as Edwards and the last had eyes as red as my own. "Aww, the missing Denali sisters, and you…" I motioned to the red head, "must be Victoria."

The three that I had yet to meet look at each other confused. Had they expected that I hadn't done my homework. If I could do anything I could follow along perfectly. Tanya looked unfazed. "I knew you were smarter than you let on that day in the hall." She said.

"Yet you still treated me like I was stupid didn't you?" I smirked.

"No I treated you like you were unimportant. There's a difference." She countered. I noticed that the Victoria was carrying a metal bucket.

"What's in the bucket?" I asked. Then I noticed that the blonde was carrying a fireplace torch.

"Why Bella it's…"

**EPOV**

I stopped as I swung open the door, aware that my family was hot on my heels. There in the middle of the porch was a smoldering metal bucket. It was still smoking with a purplish tint to it. The smell was one that I had smelled before, sweet and musky with a hint of… freesia. In front of me were the ashes of my love.

At that point all rational thought left my mind and I collapsed vaguely noticing being caught by someone.


	22. Twin Flames

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot.**

**Okay all, here is the next chapter. The idea of twin flames is nothing new, well it was new to me. But my wonderful Beta and gorgeous friend NanMcCullen schooled me in it. If you want the links please PM me and I will get them to you as soon as possible. Thanks Nan for looking out, and calming my neurosis. **

**Chapter Twenty-one: Twin Flames**

The strangled cry that erupted from my chest was more then just agony. It was a mix of fury, loss, and pure unadulterated hatred. This could not be happening again. I could not let this go. And I sure as hell was not going to let my grief get the best of me.

She sent me a bucket of my love. I was going to take her out myself, before joining Bella where ever she might be. I would take everything that Tanya held dear and replacing it with tarnished memories before ripping her to shreds and setting her ass on fire. But that wouldn't be enough. No I would set her on fire in stages. One piece at a time just watching as knowing crept into her eyes that she was never coming back from this. The torture would never be enough for all the things that she had put Bella and I through but it would have to be enough to rid the world of her vile presence.

Before I knew what I was doing I shot out of the house like a bullet, pushing myself with an intensity that I had never known. There was no way I was going to be crippled this time. There was no way that she would win. They were already dead, they just didn't know it yet.

Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett were hot on my trail. Their thoughts just and angry as mine. They pushed their bodies also but I was faster, always faster, but they weren't far behind. We flew through the forest, not even keeping tabs on who might be around because at the speed that we were going there was no way if a human did notice us they would be able to comprehend what they saw, if anything.

I knew as did my father and brothers where we were going. To the clearing that I last saw Bella. I needed a place to start. I needed to find some kind of trail to follow. When we got there the air was punched out of my lungs at the sight before me.

"Damn" Emmett was that first to speak after arriving not long after me. The trees and ground before us looked like a bomb had gone off. There was craters in the ground, trees snapped in half. The once peaceful clearing looked like a war zone. The air smelled of venom, almost too sweet on the breeze. I could pick up Bella's scent and Tanya's, but also three others. Those I could only guess as to being Irina, Kate, and Victoria.

"How the hell did four against one accumulate this kind of destruction?" Carlisle mused. But I could see his train of thought. Bella was by herself, how was it that all of this happened. If anything, they must have been able to subdue her right away. What the hell went wrong that there was this kind of fight?

Vampires fight clean. When we hunt we hide the carcasses, when we fight we are still conscious of our surroundings. If something like this was to happen we would do our damnedest to hide it. But this was just left. Like whatever happened, happened so suddenly that they needed to get out of there as fast as possible.

Problem was that if they were in a hurry why take the time to drop off the little gift on the porch? What could have them so flustered to leave this but still taunt me?

"Well the six of them really made a mess." Jasper stated as he walked across the damage looking at all the proof.

"Wait. What? Six?" I said after a couple of seconds watching him. There was only five including Bella. Where the hell did he learn to count?

Jasper looked up at me and motioned for me to come near him. I carefully walked around two craters till I was by his side. "Here, do you smell it?"

I stood next to him for a couple seconds before a breeze kicked up and I did, another vampire. I followed the scent to some dense brush and bushes to the side of the clearing and there found what looked like shoe prints. Male shoes. "He was hiding? But why?"

This clearing was making more questions then giving answers. There had been six including Bella, but one had sat back and watched. A male had hidden in the bushes. That was odd for more than one reason. The testosterone in a male vampire was huge. It was unlikely that he wouldn't want to be in on the fight. So how was it that this coward of a vampire was just hiding in the bushes?

This odd development had me looking at the clearing in a new light. I needed to figure out exactly what happened here. "Jasper, can you follow that scent and find all the places that particular vampire was. Emmett I need you to follow the two scents that came from those two directions." I pointed south and east. "Carlisle I need you to analyze the clearing and maybe make some sense out of what might of happened here, I'm going in the other two directions." Everyone nodded and set off to investigate. "We'll meet back here in about ten minutes."

I figured that ten minutes would be plenty of time. At the speed of a vampire, we could cover miles and back in that time, on both trails. But that would prove to be useless. After about seven minutes I broke through the trees to a new clearing to find Emmett and Jasper standing there waiting.

All four scents started there. But the look on Jasper's face is what caught my attention, "What is it Jazz?" I asked.

"Well the scents start here but they also stop here. There is no trail to follow after this." He was looking perplexed. "In all my years I have never seen anything like it. It like they materialized here and then dissolved just and quickly, I'm sorry." He looked at the ground kicking at a clump of dirt.

What to do? "Well either they disappeared, which I don't believe or they are still here. I think we need to speak with Eleazar to find out if he ever scanned the other female. The nomad Victoria. But first let's go check on Carlisle and then make our way back to the house."

When we returned to Carlisle he was in the middle of one of the craters in the clearing. He was deep in thought and his thoughts were going so fast that I could only catch glimpses. "Carlisle what is it?"

"Well, you all look around and tell me what you don't see and smell." He said.

Usually I would have been pissed off by this cryptic gesture. But his thoughts were still so wild and I couldn't get a read on them. While I walked the clearing I was over come with sadness and guilt for my Bella. How had I let her come out her alone, to face what ever horror she faced without someone by her side.

I had let her go thinking that it was the best thing. Yes, Alice had told me to stay away, but it wasn't her fault. I made the decision, I thought that I needed time for me to think and didn't include Bella in that. And while I was thinking, I surrounded myself with my brothers and sisters, and let Bella be alone.

I quickly shook those feelings off. I could feel myself falling deeper into the despair that I had been caught in after Marie and I would not go there again. Revenge was my avenue. Revenge was my tool. And the only feelings that I would let myself feel was anger and hatred. I could hold on to them for as long as I needed.

When this as all over I would find a way to end myself. Because if I had learned nothing else in the last couple days, it was that fate wanted Bella and I together. Fate had thrown us together over and over and that had to mean something. Even if we would not be reborn we would be together in the afterlife, be it hell or not.

So as I walked around I let the feelings of hate and anger seep back in and set to my task. I wasn't sure what it was that I was looking for, or rather what I wasn't looking for, but I opened my senses and walked over to the tree that I had seen Bella sitting under in the vision.

Bella's scent was heavy in that particular area, the smell of freesia and strawberries permeated the spot. It was the most alluring scent in the world, it made me want to hold her in the worst way and wish on all wishes that this was a dream. That was when it hit me. This was the only place that Bella's scent was. Throughout the whole of the clearing, this was the only place that Bella's scent was.

Then I thought about the smoldering bucket still on the porch at the house. I remembered the faint smell of burnt freesia but there was no smell of strawberries. I quickly made my way over to the trees snapped in half and the craters if the forest floor. I found the scent of the mystery vampire and the others but Bella's scent was nowhere to be found. The crater that Carlisle was standing in was where I found that burn pattern but Bella's scent was not in it.

"Bella's scent is missing." I told Carlisle. He nodded his head with a knowing grin on his face.

_Edward, how did you communicate with Bella for all those years? _He thought to me.

I thought about it. I had projected my thoughts into her mind while she slept. But as time passed it got easier to project while she was awake, and we could have semi conversations towards the end. "I think that the plane that I was on let me project my thoughts to her." I told him.

He looked deep in thought for a while before he spoke. "Can you do it now?" I hadn't even thought of it. I hadn't tried because I could just talk to her. Plus the fact that I had thought that it was only possible from where I was.

"No, I thought that I could only do it there."

"What if it wasn't the plane that gave you that connection but your personal connection to Bella?" Carlisle looked to my brothers. "You two go to the house and tell the girls what we found. Also check out that ash and see if there is another scent that you can find. I'm pretty sure it's not what we think it is." Jasper and Emmett soundlessly left Carlisle and I.

While he was talking to my brothers I thought about the communication between Bella and I. Normally I could not hear her mind, but there were times that she opened up to me. This was a new development, for a newborn that is. She had the control of a fifty year old vampire at least if not better. Of course she still had the anger of a newborn but I wasn't entirely sure if it was just her or not.

"Edward, walk with me, we have a lot to discuss, and just maybe we might be able to figure out where Bella is. I'm pretty sure she's alive."

That got my attention, "What?"

"Edward my son, have you ever heard of the theory of Twin Flames?"

I shook my head. "Well there is another word for it, the humans call it Soul Mates. Two halves of a whole. See son there have been studies about people that have a connection that is stronger than most. Mostly, you see it in identical twins. It's like an ability to communicate without words." He looked into my face looking for understanding, I'm not sure what he found but he continued.

"I believe that you and Bella have that connection. If I'm not mistaken, I think that you have always had that connection. It was always there. It's just more prominent now. Can you tell me why?" He asked.

The truth was that I couldn't, but more then that the things that had happened through the last few days, I could honestly say that I was overwhelmed. Good God, could there be anymore to add to this catastrophe that has turned into my undead life.

I was unaware that I was shaking my head back and fourth. Carlisle grabbed my shoulders and held me close. It was a very fatherly gesture, and I was instantly comforted. "It okay son. You have been through so much, I know that you are close to losing it. Look, I wanted to tell you these things because you need to open up and let her in."

I stared at him. What did he mean let her in? I had let her in. She had been closer to me then any other creature on this earth. I had given her my body, and no one had that. It was the only thing that no one could take from me. I gave it willingly to her. So how else could I open up to her, how was there any other way to let her in?

"Edward you gave her your most prized possession. Well at the time you thought so, but you have yet to give her you. Your mind is still cut off to her. Open up, feel for her. I'm pretty sure you will find her."

"What if you're wrong? What if she is dead? Then all of this talking and trying was for nothing." I let my anger replace the confusion and guilt in my mind. He was right, this was it for me. Once I gave her this I was hers forever. I couldn't stand another heartbreak from this woman no matter what life she was in.

"You have to try Edward. How would you feel if you let her die and had the chance to save her? How could you live with yourself knowing that all was lost because you were afraid to try? Give it to her. I swear you won't regret it." Carlisle said. There was a look in his eyes. The only thing that I could equate it to was… hope. He hoped that he had gotten through to me. He hoped to bring Bella back and reunite our broken family. But most of all he hoped to save me.

I could try this for him. I would do this for him. But deep down I was doing this for Bella and me. I was giving us a chance, and time, fate and destiny had brought us to this moment for a reason. Who was I to argue with fate? Usually the first one in line. Not this time, I could go with the flow.

I sat on the ground and felt Carlisle follow my actions. "What do I need to do?" I asked.

"It's your connection Edward. What did you do to send her dreams or talk to her before?" He asked.

That was all the explanation that I needed. I knew Bella's mind. Even though I couldn't see into it like everyone else's, I knew hers. The inner workings, the emotions that passed, the thought process. I knew Bella like I knew myself, and when the connection was made I sighed a sighed of relief. I could feel her, like strong titanium cords linking our minds to each other. At that moment I knew that Carlisle had been right. We were twin flames.

But my relief was short lived. _Damn it Edward it took you long enough, I've been reaching out for you for hours, and they have almost found me twice. There is one called James, he's a tracker, Victoria's mate. Hurry Edward, I'm weakening My shield is failing. I need you, I love you._

I saw her, I knew where she was and I did need to get to her. But I would take my brothers with me. Emmett loved a good fight but I needed them just in case I was ambushed. "Call Emmett and Jasper and tell them to meet me twenty miles north." I grabbed my father's arm and continued," Don't worry we'll bring her home and all will be right again."


	23. Unlikely Hero

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. I do own the plot though.**

**Hey guys. I know I haven't updated this story in a while, but to tell the truth I had painted my self into a corner. I had no idea where the hell I was going after the last chapter. I know that it doesn't seem that bad after the last chapter, but the fact the Edward knew where Bella was and I didn't sucked, and he wasn't talkin'. But I think that I got it now.**

**Also I wanted to thank Slyt. She sent me a PM and asked where the hell I was. Not in those words. But I let her know that I was pregnant and having trouble with the changes that my body was going through. Plus in the fact that I am surrogating for my best friend. This chapter is to you girl. Thanks for letting me know that I was dropping the ball. **

**By the way this is one of the last chapters of this story. It's coming to an end. **

**Chapter Twenty-two: Unlikely Hero**

**??? POV**

"Where is she?" I whispered to her.

"I see her hiding. She's just dropping her shield long enough to try and communicate with Edward, that's when I see her. She's close to the new house. Go see if you can find her. The only time that you can get to her is when she drops her shield, if you leave now you'll find her first." She told me.

There was no way in hell that I was going to wait around for them to let us know what was happening. I nodded to her and made my move. I shot out the door at the fastest speed that I could push myself to find her.

When I got to the new house, I instantly turned tail towards the woods that surrounded the house. I didn't how but I felt Bella. She was close, like a small voice calling to me to find her. I stopped and leapt into the trees to try and cover my tracks. There were other vampires in the area and I needed to be stealthy in my attempt to get to Bella first.

I scanned the area, and once again I got the feeling that I was close. But I wasn't the only one. A tall man with dirty blonde hair was lurking around about a hundred yards from me. He was dirty and had leaves in his hair, but he walked with a cocky swagger like nothing could stop him. Occasionally he would stop and sniff the air and search with his eyes, barely moving his head. He was a tracker. And the feeling that I was getting was telling me that he also was close to where Bella hid.

Then there was the fact that I needed to worry about me. If a sudden wind changed my ass was up shit creek without a paddle. He would have me. I wasn't sure if I had the ability to stop him if it came to hand to hand. He just might kick my ass and still get to Bella first. But what other options did I have? I had to lay in wait hidden by branches of the tree that I was in and be as still as I could.

As I waited a red haired vampire came into view. "James, have you found anything?" Her voice was musical like all vampires but it didn't match the sinister look in her eyes. She was evil with the beauty of a queen but the soul of a snake.

"No I keep getting a scent around here but when I get in the area it's gone and faint." He sounded sexy but the frustration was boiling under the surface. I knew that he had been looking for Bella for a while, and she was just out of reach. "God I swear if I don't find her soon, when I do find her I'm going to kill her myself." He said through clenched teeth.

"Now, Now, sweet you know that Tanya wants her alive." The red head cooed to him. "She believes if you kill her all is lost." She stoked a finger down his arm. A look of disgust crossed his face before he covered it up. I was sure that she missed it.

"I told you Victoria, not to touch me when I'm hunting." He said in a very condescending voice. "Now run along and go chant something." Victoria looked stricken - like she had been kicked in the stomach. She cared for him. To her he was her mate, but the look in his eyes told a different story.

He tolerated her. She was good enough for right now. She was nothing to him but a body to empty himself into. I shuddered a little at the thought of being in love with someone and not having it returned. It reminded me of Royce, and all that he had done to me. I had thought that I loved him and the way that he acted towards me was proper, but in truth he tolerated me because I was pretty to look at. I was another one of his objects that he collected. When my novelty wore off I was thrown out like the rest of his trash.

I briefly wanted to drop down from my perch and kill him much like I had done to Royce. But then there was Victoria, unlike Tanya who was obsessed, this Victoria was in love and would take his shit for just that fact. So I was pretty sure that she wouldn't just stand there and let me kill him under the pretence that he was an asshole. Plus I had to find Bella.

"Come on James, that bitch is toying with you. She's not here." Victoria said dropping her hands to her side. "We need to find her soon though or the spell won't work."

Spell what spell. What the hell were we in the fucking _Bitches of Eastwick_? Could it be true that the Denali was more then a vampire coven? Could they be a witch coven as well? Were they more powerful then they let on?

Then there was the fact that I had spent years with these bitches. This whole time they befriended me and included me just to get to Edward. That pissed me off as well. I was a tool to them. An ends to a means, a way for them to get to Edward. I was used, and nobody used me.

What was worst was that they used my family. For years Edward did what he could to distance himself from them. I wasn't sure if it was because he subconsciously knew that something was wrong, but he push for the minimal time with them that he could get away with. Instead of listening to him we pushed him into the lions den. That pissed me off too. We unknowingly set him up for failure. We sucked so bad.

I watched James and Victoria from my perch. James seemed to make the decision first to start looking else where, and that was when I saw her. From where I was I could barely see the top of her head. She was nestled between two rocks in a small divot that it provided a hiding place for her. She was curled into a ball still as stone, from where I was I could tell that she wasn't even breathing. She had her hair clutched in her hand to prevent it from blowing in the wind. That girl was very intelligent. I wasn't sure if I would have thought of that myself.

James and Victoria moved off, running at vampire speed to try and pick up a trail that was nonexistent. I could smell the rain coming into the area, and knew that Bella's trail would be lost to them for ever. I waited about five minutes before dropping soundlessly to the ground and rushing over to her.

"Bella?" I whispered, placing my hand gently on her arm.

"Well you were the last person I thought would be here, to find me. But I'm really glad you're here." Bella had a look on her face that spoke volumes of sincerity. "Thank you, Rosalie."

**BPOV**

Rose and I embraced and I thought that it was possibly a hallucination. She and I had gotten to a very hard start in the beginning, but here she was putting her life on the line to help me. I wasn't sure where this friendship came from but I was glad that it was here.

"How did you know that I was alive?" I asked her.

"I didn't, but I had a feeling. Then Alice started getting flashes and I came to find you." Rosalie was very proud of herself, and she had every right to be. I thought of making her an honorary Nancy Drew. She figured it out when Edward was flipping out.

"Well great, now what?" I had no idea what to do next. Originally when I ran I thought of going back to the house, but I couldn't lead them to the family. I wanted to keep them safe, I needed a plan and currently I was lost to one. Hiding was no longer an option. Rose was here and I wasn't sure if I could shield her as well as myself for a long period of time. As it was I was getting mentally drained and barely kept it up last time James and the posse came looking.

"Okay," I whispered, "any ideas?" Rose looked up at me like I was asking her to pull a cool million out of her ass.

"What the hell Bella? My idea was to come and find you. It's your turn." She huffed at me like I was the most absurd person in the world and went back to watching out for James.

"Hey guys." Rose and I jumped and spun around to see Alice crouching behind us. How and when she got here I have no idea but it just proved the point that we needed to get the hell moving before we were found.

"Jesus Cristo, Alice. If my heart was beating you would have given me an attack. What the hell are you doing here?" Rose was whispering harshly while clutching her chest for dear life. I giggled a little at that. The last time I had heard something like that was when my friend in Phoenix, Shannon, said it after seeing a naked man for the first time.

Alice ignored Rosalie's melodrama moment and look at me. "I saw you needed a plan and I have one."

I was all ears. "But first," she continued, "how did you get away?"

I thought back to when they first found me in the forest. The bitches of east wick. The wind was blowing around and the trees swayed as if bowing to an unseen leader.

Tanya, Irina, Kate and Victoria were gliding towards me. Their feet barely touching the ground as the approached from the shadows, looking menacing and beautiful at the same time. But they weren't alone. They had two male vampires with them. One with dark exotic skin tone and one with blonde hair and skin as pale as mine.

The two males and Victoria had blood red eyes. They were human drinkers, but Irina, Kate and Tanya had golden eyes like the rest of the Cullens. I briefly wondered how they could be together with such obvious dietary differences. But I guess that didn't matter so much right now.

"Bella it's nice to see you again." Tanya was smiling sweetly at me, which to tell the truth made her look like a Cheshire cat rather then an elegant vampire. "I'd ask how your father is but I believe Laurent here," She gestured to the dark skinned vampire, "ate him." She sneered at the one called Laurent and he lowered his head in shame.

Somehow I knew that he wasn't apologetic for killing my family. That pissed me off even more then Tanya just talking about it with malice. He was going to die today if I had my way. In fact he was already dead it just hadn't caught up with him yet. I planned to make it as painful as my father's death was.

But that wasn't meant to be. As Tanya was talking and I was planning this disgrace of a vampire's life the blonde vampire was making his way over behind the dark skinned vampire. He was more unnaturally quiet then the regular vampire, catching no ones attention till it was too late.

I watched as the blonde vampire jerked and ripped Laurent's head clean off his shoulders. The shock that showed on his face was priceless and even though I didn't get to terminate him myself I was mildly amused by his own betrayal.

That's when the screaming started. Irina was rushing to his side trying in vain to retrieve the head from the blonde vampire. Victoria rushed over looking impressed and protective. She grabbed Irina and flung her across the field were she tumbled to a crashing thud. She was about seven yards from were I was.

The loss in her eyes was palpable. She suffered with her eyes, and even though I hated the vampire that killed my father I suffered with her. She loved him. I couldn't imagine anything like this happening to Edward. Just the thought of it made my heart hurt and my chest tight. Edward not existing in this world was not one of my favorite thoughts to entertain. My life and forever was wrapped in him, some how we were one being. I needed him.

Irina stood up and walked towards Tanya with purpose. Her head was held high and she had her arms stiff at her sides. Her hands clenched into fists. "Why?" she asked through clenched teeth. "I needed him." She declared.

Tanya neither looked sorry or concerned for her sister's anguish. "Because he doesn't follow orders, dear sister. Do you really want a man like that around? Plus he has no care for the preservation of human life. You would have killed him your self later. I saved you heartache."

I almost snorted out loud at her argument to her sister. In fact I would have fully belly laughed if I was trying to keep a low profile to get away at some point. But I wasn't the only one. Kate giggled to her self earning a reproachful look from Victoria.

"Follow orders?" Irina pointed a perfectly manicured finger towards James, "Break the mirrors you said. The old couple's house had nothing to do with the house and they were killed. Not to mention," She pointed at Victoria, "She tried to kill Bella and that was strictly against you _Orders_. And they are both human drinkers." Okay at this point I could have slipped away undetected but Irina had a point. This was better then _Days of our Lives_.

Victoria had enough since to look scared, but James looked smug. It was like he knew he was in no danger, but Victoria wasn't so sure. Tanya spoke very gently to her sister. It was almost condescending, "James is a tracker. His gift is invaluable, and Victoria is a sister from the old days, we don't kill our own. But…" she turned to them in a fury, "you are on thin ice dear sister for the stunt with Bella. If she dies all is lost. Do you understand me?"

Victoria's eyes were as big as saucers. She nodded like she was a bobble head doll. But James shrugged it off.

Now was my time to disappear. I ran as quickly and quietly as a ghost, while they were other wise engaged. It was a few minutes before they realized that I was gone and the yelling and screaming started.

I shivered at the memory as I relayed the events to Alice and Rose. I felt a distant panic start to rise in my throat. I hadn't realized just how scared I was till I was actually thinking about it. The shiver started at my toes and rose through my body as the sob threaten, and my eyes pricked with tears that would never fall.

"Shhh, Love I'm here." His arms wrapped around me and instantly I felt the panic leave my body and safety replace it. I lowered myself into his arms and melted into his chest. I was whole again.

"Edward." I sighed.

But he was looking at Alice. "That's perfect. Call the family and bring them here, then we end this."


	24. The End and The Begining

**I don't own it.**

**Here it is, the second to the last chapter. I'm sorry it took so long, but I did try.**

**As many of you all know I was surrogating for my best friend and I ran into some complications. Well the baby was born January eight by emergency C-section. He was two pounds one ounce, twenty-six weeks in gestation. By the grace of God and the power of your prayers he is strong and doing better every day. Thank you all so much.**

**Chapter 23: The End and The Beginning**

**??? POV**

I sat next to the wall, listening to the three females plot to save themselves. I was sickened at how weak they made themselves out to be. I cringed at the lack of structure that was built on what possibly could have been an impenetrable foundation all those years ago.

Once we were a force to be dealt with. Once not even the Volturi would cower in our presents because not their most gifted vampires could rival us. But now we were soft, split in the name of love.

What a stupid reason to live forever. When the idea of becoming a vampire was brought to us I thought of the power that I could tap into, the fun. But instead I've been following in the shadows, for a thousand years chasing ghost because this bitch can't get over a crush.

That is why they are talking. Tanya's followers are no longer fighting on her side. In fact two of the three were ready for the plan, it was just the third that had to be convinced and she wasn't so much on the fence but her pathetic fear is what's holding her true.

"Why are you doing this? Can't we just talk to her?" Kate asked. The whine in her voice was starting to drive me up the wall. I wanted to kill a human and stick its fingers in my ears to block her out. Not that it would.

"Are you telling me that Irina's mate meant nothing to you? That her pain is justice?" Victoria asked. She really didn't care about what happened to Laurant. In fact neither did I, but it was a playing card in this little rebellion. Victoria wanted to lead, she wanted control. "When you find a mate is he going to be up to the death front to serve her purpose?" She finished raising an eyebrow in question.

I quietly snickered to myself. There was no way that Kate's mate was going to be a 'he'. In a thousand years she had only shown any interest in a few people and they were all women.

The sadness in Irina's eyes was heavy. I cringed at the feeling. Nobody was going to have that much power over me. There was no one in this world not even my mother that meant anything to me, other than to make for new sport. I was sure my mother knew what I was growing up to be as a child. I would catch her looking at me out of the corner of her eye, watching me, petrified of what I might say or do. I knew that she had found the animal carcasses that I had hidden from the world. The "experiments" that left me wanting waiting for that right time to kill my first human being. Even as a human, people were just cattle to me, life or death, who cared? And in the end my darling mother was my first victim; her screaming was like a full symphony that still played in my mind, unchanged by my perfect memory.

Kate turned from them but I was sure that her mind had been made. A mate was a very high price to pay for this quest Tanya had brought us to. Kate might find one someday and the thought of Tanya just throwing that away was too strong for her to have to deal with.

Soon I would be able to live and kill without anything holding me back, because with Tanya, Victoria would have to go too.

I turned to leave. It was time to hunt. I hoped that soon we would be going to finish what we started. I was tired of this sitting around waiting. I was excited for a bit of sport, and as soon as that bitch Tanya fell her precious Edward would fall too, I would see to it. They would be together in death and that was sort of nice of me.

I ran out the back of the tired cave that we had been cohabitating in. I shot into forest headed for Seattle, the closest metropolis. It was time for some sport. Maybe an old woman or child, but the chase was half the fun.

I was running thinking of the fun I was planning when I felt an odd prickle at the back of my neck, that caused me to pause in my musings and running. The forest was quiet and to some might have been creepy, but I knew better. I was the most dangerous thing in the forest tonight, but there was something else. The feeling was getting stronger and I lowered myself to the ground in a crouch ready to defend myself if the need came.

But I was pleasantly surprised at what I found to greet me. It was an angel. Now there were beauty in the world of vampires, and for the most part my mind was unpleased unless there was sport to be involved, but this creature in front of me was beyond any vampire that I had ever seen before. Her blonde hair was long and flowing, soft looking and my first instinct was to run my fingers through it. Her body was slender but curved in the right places, sex in a physical state. Her face was the right proportions with a perfect nose, mouth and two eyes set perfectly apart. If I wasn't me, I might have said that I was in love, but the very dirty and inappropriate things that passed through my mind were making my pants very uncomfortable.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" I monitored the surrounding forest before I loosened my stance and sauntered closer to her. "Do you have a name Sweet?" As hard as I tried I couldn't stand to bring my eyes higher than her nice fine rack.

"Yes." She said and smirked at my current fight not to look at her bust line. Her voice sent a shock from my ears to my Johnson in a very pleasant way.

"Well what is it?" I purred at her.

She started to close the distance between us and the sway of her body made me fight to keep my clothes on just to make things faster. "What's your name?' She whispered softly into my ear, as her hands ran from the middle of my chest to the tops of my shoulders. Her breath hit my nose and I surrendered with a shake that ran up my spine threatening soften me.

"James." My voice was a lot softer then I thought that It would be. I cleared my voice. This feeling was foreign to me, she stirred something in me and it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Hmmmm…" she hummed. Her eyes had a look about them. It almost looked like anticipation, like she was waited for something fantastic. "James… it seems like a name that I can remember for a very long time, even when everything is dead and gone." The last was said in a giggle. "What do you thing Emmy Bear?"

I looked at her like she was speaking French. It wasn't till the wind changed that very instance and I smelled someone else. I flashed around in time to see that my death was going to be brought by a beast of a vampire with the hint of satisfaction playing behind his eyes. A new feeling raced through my body… fear.

**EPOV (Starting ten minutes before James Left Cave)**

Mount. Reiner. Washington of all places, the most unlikely place in the world that you would think to find a coven of witches, let alone vampires. Of course if you think about it, where would you think to find a coven of vampires? On the sandy beaches of Santa Carla or Luna Bay, like in the _Lost Boys? _Being chased around by two little kids with the last name Frog? You get my point.

We stood there, at the base of the mountain, looking up at what must be a ledge about a hundred feet from the summit. The snow was thick as it always was and if it wasn't for the reason that we were there, it might be gorgeous. The ledge was what was left of an old fissure that was left from an old eruption hundreds of years ago. This was our destination. This was the end and the beginning of everything.

I looked over at Bella, her face a set of determination and hostility, that I was glad was pointed elsewhere. On the way here we relayed to her what had happened at the house with the bucket of ash and the fear and terror that I had faced. The agony in the thought that I had lost her was almost too much to bare and the momentary craze that I had suffered at losing her yet again.

I told her of the relief that I had when I encircled her in my arms and to feel her solid form against me. She had felt the same but at the point that the events were told you could see the anger rising in her. Tanya wouldn't be able to escape her, nor me. She would have to meet her maker and settle her own debts. We were more than happy to assist her on that journey.

Bella finally felt me watching her and her eyes thawed for a moment, "Are you ready love?" I asked her.

"Yes, because there is no way in hell I'm going through this for another life." Her determination appearing back on her face.

I nodded in agreement. Fate and destiny be damned. There was no starting again. My love was with me and as far as I was concerned she was indestructible. She made me indestructible. Fate had brought us to this moment and then it was up to us.

But we were no longer alone. The family stood by our sides. We were all aware of what had to happen now. This was going to stop once and for all. Everyone had a determination that burn within them. Our family was now complete, and there was no one going to take that away from us.

I looked over to Jasper and Emmett. Both with smirks and excitement on their faces. Emmett's was different the Jasper's. He was gunning for James. Rosalie had relayed what the tracker had looked like while looking for Bella. Emmett wanted to finish this menace if for nothing else then the fact that he had scared Rose, which was no small feat. Jasper on the other hand had come up with the plan of this operation. His long ability of strategy made him eager to see it work and see if he still had his military training.

I nodded to them both and they took the hands of their mates and disappeared into the distance within seconds. They were the second defense. If for any reason someone got through they would finish the deed without a second thought.

Carlisle and Esme were close by, and even though I couldn't see them I could hear their thoughts. Carlisle was worried as was Esme but his anger outweighed his compassion at this point. Esme was say silent prayers for her children, her worry was for us. In her mind we were evenly matched in numbers and ability so this fight would be close and in her mind it was too close. It would be a fair fight. Well as fair as it could be, and to my surprise she didn't like it. Who would have thought that my adopted mother would have wanted the odds tilted in our favor and for them to be decimated? I would have liked that too but my mother was all about kindness and all that but know she wasn't.

I looked at Bella and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze to tell her it was time. Her Eyes Flashed in a way that told me that she was ready. In fact she was more than ready; the enthusiasm was so present that you could touch it. Her strength gave me the strength that I needed to get through this. God knows what I did to deserve her but here she was and I would move heaven and hell to keep her.

Her features softened as she took in my face. "Edward, we don't have to do this. WE can find another way…" She started. She was truly amazing, trying to mentally rework our plan just for my comfort level. But the truth was that this was the only way. IN the end I wanted to see Tanya's face when the end came.

"No Love, this is the best, and jasper would be pretty pissed if I let you talk me out of it." I smirked at her to try and reassure her. I kissed her lightly on her temple and grinned as she sighed and melted into me. Her body was so attuned to mine and I couldn't remember Marie ever being this compatible to me. I knew that I loved Marie but as I thought about it the time wasn't right to love her. FATE had thrown us together so that she could die. I had come to terms with my part in her death, but in reality it would have happened anyway. Marie was destined to die so that I could meet up with Bella.

"So Edward… Will you make me your prisoner?" Bella asked me in a very sultry voice. So sultry that I almost stumbled as I grabbed her arm and spun her around roughly to start her ascent up the mountain. "maybe later we can practice in case …" I let my voice trail off and pushed her on in such a way that I wanted to kick my own ass and sent myself on fire.

This was part of the plan, but shit it was hard.

Everything had to look real. She had to be brutalized. WE Made our way to the mouth of the fissure and walked into the hell itself, me pushing Bella the whole way.

As I walked up to our destinations Bella's sheild was fermly in place, They would not know that we were coming. I scanned the space behind the wall that we were standing by. I counted four thoughts, all female. James must be out in the forest some where. No matter how far my family would make sure that he hurt no one else, that bastered would die and I would lose no sleep over it (if I could sleep).

I spun Bella around and mouthed "four" she nodded in understanding and rose up and kissed me. The kis was to give us both strength, to reasure that we loved each other and this would be the end of our misery. No more running and no more dying. We had forever, together.

I supressed the moan that threaten to bubble up my throat and felt Bella's sheild slip from around me. "Okay?" she mouthed to me and I nodded taking a deep breath that I didn't need, and pushed her forward.

"HONEY I'M HOME!" I called as we entered a medium sized cave that led off the fissure. Bella fell to the ground not with the force of my push but to me dramatic. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. We would seriously have to talk about her acting skills in the future. If we had a future. She made it back to her feet and I grabbed her again and spun her towards them.

I was instantly assaulted but thoughts of surprise and physical hisses and growls that came from the vampires that dwelled there.

_What the …_

_WHAT Are they …?_

_And So It Begins…_

And one was just standing there with shock on her face. Kate just stood there both mind and mouth at a loss. I wasted no time in finding the bain on my existence. Tanya.

I threw Bella to the ground again and tried hard to keep the cringe that passed through my mind off my face. Thank god she was a vampire because that would have left a mark.

"Please Edward, we can work this out" she pleaded with me.

"I told you Bella" I seethed, "you had your chance now SHUT THE FUCK UP." I Yelled the last. I let the rage and hate that pumped through me for Tanya pulse in my words and BELLA flinched at my words. GOOD At least I was believable.

I looked up at Tanya and let my face show the distain I felt. I hoped that she would think that it was for Bella. "You want us..." I spread my arms open wide, "Here we are. I'm tired of this shit." I said.

Bella started whimpering on the floor. I Stayed planted in my spot ignoring her, the best I could. "Edward maybe I could learn…"

I cut her off. "Learn, Learn. Bella, why should I spend the time to let you learn to love me when I have a willing mate right here? You threw me out a fucking window Bella." I gestured toward Tanya and softened my features. "if you'll have me."

While I looked at Tanya I briefly scanned the thoughts in the room. James was nowhere in the room. I knew that but it still bothered me, but I was shocked at the thoughts that I did find. Victoria and Irina where planning on over throw Tanya in the worst betrayal. With a small lift and lower of her eyes Irina told me that it was true, but what she didn't know was that Victoria was willing to kill her as well.

My mind wondered to Kate and something I had never seen before hit me like a ton of bricks. Kat was in love with Tanya. She knew of the betrayal but was unsure if she could harm her. She wanted Tanya to stop chasing after me so that she could prove her love and wondered if taking her away would be it. Me being here was upsetting to her. If I was giving myself to Tanya then her chance to love her would never come. Her heart was breaking right in front of me.

Bring myself back to the task at hand. "Tanya, I know what you have been through all this time. I can't apologize for my past selves but I'm sorry for all that I've put you through." I heard Bella faintly whimpering behind me, still playing her part. This next part was going to kill me but I had to do what had to be done.

Tanya looked astonished for maybe an half a second, and then she was puzzled. Her mind was full of hope and apprehension. "Why?" she asked.

I took a deep breath and blew it down my nose. It was more to calm myself; I think I threw up a little in my mouth at the thoughts of the things that she wanted to do to me if this was true. "Because… I don't remember my past lives, but something wasn't right. I realized that something must be the things that I was fighting for. At the moment that I realized that Bella didn't love me, I knew that the only thing that was going to make this right was you. The one thing that could break this cycle was being with you… forever." The words that came out were true but they were meant for Bella. She was the only thing in this world that could complete me.

Tanya looked like I had finally given her what she wanted but the doubt was still in her mind. "I can still read the doubt my love." I told her. "What do I have to do to prove to you that my words are true?"

Her eyes left mine and briefly glanced over at Bella. Her mind was full of hate towards her and it took a lot of power not to defend my love and shield her from the wicked on slot of thoughts being thrown at her. Instead I stayed nonchalant.

"Is it her Tanya? Is she what is standing in the way?" I asked. I flashed over to Bella's side and grabbed up a hand full of her hair pulling her to her knees. Silently in my mind I apologized to my mate over and over. "Shall I kill her for you?" I raised my hand to strike a mortal blow, separating Bella's head from her neck, hoping beyond hope that Tanya would follow through on her thoughts.

"Edward please…" Bella begged stalling for time.

"You have nothing that I want." I spat raising my hand higher.

My hand came down and if I could have wept I would have. Right before my hand touched her skin Tanya cried out, "STOP!" the other three women in the room had moved closer to help me in ending my soul mate's life.

"I believe you Edward." Tanya's words followed her thoughts, she did believe me. "You can't kill her." She said. "You would follow." I was hit hard by the sadness in her thoughts if something had ever happened to me. "We'll find a way to take care of her. Come to me, my love." She held her arms open for me to embrace her. This was the moment that we had planned for.

"NO!" Before I could comprehend what was happening Kate was on my back trying to grasp my head in a position that was optimal to remove it from my body. "You can't have her!" She hissed and growled, drool of venom slide down my face as I fought to grab her and throw her from me.

Bella was still on the ground looking at what was happening but in her eyes I saw the anger clouding her vision. The bloodlust that she fought as a newborn was boiling into her body and taking over. Her bottom lip began to quiver almost like she was about to start to cry if she could. She was beautiful in her rage and I was in awe of her. She was a fearsome vampire and she looked every bit.

She was up off the ground faster than I thought even a vampire could move. I could barely see a shimmer that surrounded her and pulsed like lightning around her. Her hair whipped at her face, it was almost like the wind was trapped inside her bubble.

I was still fighting Kate when a shock of electricity pulsed through my body. Kate had used her ability on me and I was losing, in fact I was falling. My mind went out to Bella; I threw all my love to her, hoping that she would understand. Tanya on the other hand stood frozen in her spot not understanding or comprehending what was happening. She was blind to Kate's love even now.

My love was not so oblivious; she moved to my side and thrust her hand to the back of Kate's head. Kate held on to me for dear life and that was her undoing as Bella yanked her head from her shoulders, and Kate's grip on my loosened and fell slack.

This was not part of the plan. Being electrocuted was definatly not part of the plan.

The wind was picking up in the space, howling through the cave at an alarming rate for a human, even alarming for a vampire. I threw Kate from my body and spun around to look t Bella but the look on her face as she looked past me made me face Tanya and her crones. As my mind made scence of what was happening the wind stopped. I thought it stopped but Tanya and the other two's hair still moved and flew with the veracity of the air that moved around them.

Bella crouched down closer to the floor and pulled me down with her. I realized that I was encompassed in her bubble. Though I couldn't see it anymore I could feel it protecting me.

Okay so this was not part of the plan either. Being protected from a tornado in a cave was definatly not part of the plan.

In front of me were the three women in a battle that looked like it was being fought with the mind. I looked within their minds to find what was going on. "Spells." I said in a hushed tone.

"What?" Bella asked as she looked on confused and bewildered.

"They are casting spells and counter spells. Victoria wants power." I explained.

"Who's winning?"

"I have no idea." I admitted.

"Well shit, magic was not part of the plan." Bella cursed. I couldn't agree with her more, I was thinking the same thing. How nieve were we to think that we were going to just walk in here and just ask them to hold still while we killed them. We were dumb asses but hey fate was on our side today.

As I scanned the scene and their minds I noticed that Irina wasn't doing anything. The spells in her mind were all counter spells to keep from being sucked down in the other two's war. She was waiting patiently. I wondered what her angle was.

_Edward. _Her thoughts pierced through the other two war of mind. _You are in no danger from me. I need you to know that you and your mate are safe. When this is over I will leave…_

She explained her plan to me in detail, and I watched to make sure it followed through.

Okay so this wasn't part of the plan either, but hey a new plan was happening, and they say vampires have a hard time adapting.

Victoria looked as though she was getting tired. Her face was twisted in a way that she was holding on to the very ground that she was standing on. Tanya only looked mildly better. I could tell now who had the upper hand. Irina was saving herself. She was letting Tanya get tired because anyother way she had no chance of winning. This way Tanya would kill Victoria and Irina would finish Tanya. Hopefully.

Thoughts rang out from the front of the cave and I saw my opening. I whispered to Bella knowing that Victoria would hear me. "Emmett and Jasper took care of James. Rosalie had a blast burning him to ashes.' I winked at her.

Victoria stumbled and that was all Tanya needed to reach over the gap dividing them and grab hold of her. Tanya shredded her in seconds, leaving Victoria to join her mate in hell. Then she fell to the floor surrounded by her work.

Irina took her chance and leapt on to Tanya severing one arm them the next. Her mind was angry and merciless; She was going to kill Tanya slowly. The tearing of metal sound reverberated once again through the cave as Tanya's legs soon followed, and all that was left was the torso of her body and head that was steering at me with pleading to help her.

"Edward…" she whispered, "Save me, my sweet. We can be happy."

I let the hatred come to the surface as I glared at her. Then I turned to Bella. "Love I know this is not the most romantic place or time but I have a question to ask you." I waited getting my nerves in check. This was not the way I wanted this to happen but Tanya needed to know before She was gone. "Will you marry me?"

Bella smirked at me and glanced at Tanya, "Can we adopt kids?" She asked.

"Why love are you hungry?" I asked.

We were rewarded with the look of shock on Tanya's perfectly sculpted face before her head was severed.

Irina faced us and the rage was drained from her, now the sadness made her once beautiful face twist in a way that made me promise I would never feel that way or cause that pain.

"What now?" My question was simple but her answer was not so quick.

"Edward, I've hunted you and your mate over a lot life times. I've help in both your demises many times, but until a couple days I had no idea what I was doing. I stayed in my happy bubble with my mate and when he was taken from me. I had no idea what I put to both through." She paused and lowered herself heavily to the floor like her legs would no longer support her. "I'm not going to insult you both by apologizing, even though I want to, but I will ask you for a favor…"

I hissed at the pictures that ran through her head. Different meetings with the coven, different plots on my Bella and different ways to attempt to win my heart by Tanya. I knew what she wanted, and I was half tempted not to give it to her. She deserved to live with her misery.

"I know what you're thinking Edward. Do you remember your pain when Marie died at your hands? It's how I felt? Laurent and I were human together. When I was changed I talked him into the change and held his hand while he burned through the transformation. I damned him to his fate and I will not live with that. Maybe God will be merciful and let us find each other in another life, but as it stands I can't live in a world where he doesn't."

Her words hit me hard and I knew how she felt. As much as she deserved to live with her choices, I did know what it was like to lose the one you thought was 'the one', the person that your world revolved around, at your own hands. Through choices that should have been different.

I looked into her eyes and I felt Bella grab hold of my hand. I looked at Bella and her eyes pleaded for mercy for this poor misguided soul, and Irina would have it. I reassured Bella with my eyes. I stood and gave Kate her mercy, "We forgive you." I whispered before I ended her anguish.


End file.
